ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced a formal investigation into the 2025 World’s Strongest Woman competition held in Arlington, following a controversial outcome involving a transgender athlete.
The debate centers on the initial victory of Jammie Booker, a transgender competitor, who secured the crown over female competitors. The event sparked immediate backlash regarding fairness in women’s sports, prompting the state’s top attorney to intervene.
State Vows Action to Protect Women’s Sports
Attorney General Paxton publicly announced the inquiry, stating his office is “investigating this incident and will take any and all actions to protect women’s sports both in Texas and across the nation.”
According to reports, although Booker was initially declared the winner, organizers have since disqualified Booker and awarded the title to the second-place finisher, Andrea Thompson. Video footage from the event reportedly showed Thompson expressing visible frustration on the podium during the initial ceremony.
Organization Claims Lack of Disclosure
Official Strongman, the organization behind the event, issued a statement claiming they were unaware of Booker’s biological sex prior to the competition.
“Had we been aware, or had this been declared at any point before or during the competition, this athlete would not have been permitted to compete in the Woman’s Open category,” the organization stated. They clarified their policy, asserting that competitors are restricted to the category matching their biological sex recorded at birth.
Calls for Transparency
The incident has drawn criticism from advocacy groups such as the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS). Kim Jones, co-founder of ICONS, emphasized the necessity of sex-based eligibility.
“Female athletes deserve transparency, honesty, and the basic guarantee that the competitors standing next to them are, in fact, women,” Jones said.
The investigation is ongoing as the Attorney General’s office seeks to determine how the eligibility oversight occurred and what measures are necessary to enforce state expectations regarding the integrity of women’s sports categories.
