According to reports, transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard kept a minority woman out of the Olympics.
Many are noting that Kuinini ‘Nini’ Manumua, 21, was likely bumped out of Olympics contention because Laurel Hubbard entered to represent New Zealand in Tokyo.
SpectatorWorld, for instance, noted: “Hubbard stole the place of Kuinini Manumua, a 21-year-old woman of color who had trained for years. This would have been her first Olympics. Remember her name.”
The case for Manumua was highlighted by several Twitter users:
Others took up Manumua’s cause, as well. In his op-ed for the Washington Examiner, Zachary Faria wrote, “Even if Hubbard doesn’t win a medal, the damage has been done. There are limited spots for competitors, so while Hubbard is in, Kuinini Manumua is out. At 21 years old, Manumua would be competing in her first-ever Olympic Games representing Tonga. Instead, she will sit at home, and Tonga currently remains at four Olympic competitors instead of the five it deserves.
“That’s one Olympic dream crushed, but it won’t end there. The Tokyo Olympics will mark the beginning of the end for the integrity of women’s sports,” Faria added.
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