Olympics And Transgender Athletes. A ruling by swimming’s world governing body effectively bars transgender women from high levels of competition in the name of fairness. New zealand's laurel hubbard has become the first ever transgender athlete picked to compete at an olympics, in a controversial decision.

The new zealand weightlifter did not make the podium,. A new study financed by the international olympic committee found that transgender female athletes showed greater handgrip strength — an indicator of overall muscle strength — but lower jumping.