World’s Strongest Woman 2025: Jammie Booker’s Victory Ignites Firestorm of Debate

The 2025 Worlds Strongest Woman competition held in Arlington Texas became the centre of a major global controversy after American athlete Jammie Booker was declared the winner.

Claims quickly spread among athletes and spectators that Booker was a biological male, raising serious concerns about fairness in women’s strength-based sports. The reaction of runner-up Andrea Thompson during the podium ceremony became the turning point that took the issue into global headlines.

Podium Protest by Andrea Thompson

Andrea Thompson visibly expressed frustration during the medal ceremony. She stepped down from the podium and muttered a three-word remark which was clearly a sign of protest.

This emotional response echoed the feelings of several athletes and coaches who soon took to social media and interviews to question the fairness of the competition. Many insisted that women’s categories should be strictly reserved for athletes born female.

Fellow Competitors Speak Out

Rebecca Roberts, a three-time Worlds Strongest Woman champion, stated that she and other competitors were not informed about Bookers background.

Roberts highlighted the importance of transparent rules in strength sports and said any changes in category rules must be clearly communicated.

Andrea Thompson supported Roberts by liking her social media post, which received a flood of responses from fans calling Thompson the real champion of the event.

Coaches and Sponsors React

Andrea Thompson’s coach Laurence Shahlaei supported her performance, saying she was the most dominant athlete during key events such as the deadlift and log lift.

He emphasized that sports categories exist to ensure competitive fairness and that those boundaries should not be changed without athlete consent or public clarity.

Jammie Bookers sponsor, Iron Ape, announced the end of their association, stating that event organisers were provided with incomplete or incorrect information. The brand said their decision was based on the principles of fair play.