"Everyone agrees that trans women are women”. Everyone?

 ‘yes, she has an advantage because she went through male puberty,’

"The International Olympic Committee’s medical and science director has paid tribute to New Zealand transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard’s “courage and tenacity’’ ahead of her Tokyo debut.

Hubbard, who transitioned in 2013, has been cleared to compete in the women’s +87kg division after meeting New Zealand Olympic Committee, International Weightlifting Federation regulations.

Dr Richard Budgett backed her inclusion at a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday, stating: “Everyone agrees that trans women are women”.

He admitted it was a complex issue, but said: “To put it in a nutshell, the IOC had a scientific consensus back in 2015.

“There are no IOC rules or regulations around transgender participation. That depends on each international federation. So Laurel Hubbard is a woman, is competing under the rules of her federation and we have to pay tribute to her courage and tenacity in actually competing and qualifying for the Games.”

As for whether Hubbard has a physical advantage over her rivals, Budgett acknowledged there were “lots of aspects of physiology and anatomy, and the mental side, that contribute to an elite performance”.

“It’s very difficult to say, ‘yes, she has an advantage because she went through male puberty,’ when there’s so many other factors to take into account,” he said.

“It’s not simple. Each sport has to make their own assessment depending on the physiology of that sport, so that they can ensure there is fair competition, but also the inclusion of everyone – whether they’re male or female – so they are able to take part in the sport they love.”

But he stressed that “Laurel Hubbard is a woman competing under rules of her federation