Sponsorships Revoked After Trans Athlete Wins World’s Strongest Woman

On the podium in Arlington, Texas, on November 23, 2025, the moment cameras captured Andrea Thompson stepping away from the World’s Strongest Woman podium saying “this is bull—” while Jammie Booker held the trophy, nobody knew they were witnessing a controversy that would rewrite the event’s results within 72 hours. 

Booker had won by a single point: 47 to Thompson’s 46. By Tuesday, Booker was disqualified, Thompson was crowned champion, and strength sport faced its most explosive gender-eligibility crisis in years.​

Narrow Victory in Arlington, Texas

The Official Strongman Games World Championships, staged November 20-23, 2025, in Arlington, Texas, drew elite female strongwomen competing in brutal multi-event contests including deadlifts, overhead presses, and loaded carries. 

Booker, 28, from Philadelphia, stood approximately 6 foot 5 and weighed about 400 pounds—substantially larger than most female rivals. 

Rapid Rise from June to November

Booker’s competitive timeline was extraordinary. She only began competing in women’s strongman events in June 2025, winning the Rainier Classic to earn her professional card, then placing second at North America’s Strongest Woman later that year. 

Her rapid ascent to World Championship victory in fewer than six months shocked the tight-knit strongwoman community, particularly those who had competed against her minimal professional experience.​

The Podium Fracture Captured on Video

Video footage from the awards ceremony definitively captured Thompson’s visible upset as Booker celebrated her win. Multiple media outlets reported Thompson’s podium statement and subsequent departure from the stage, confirming her immediate frustration with the competition’s outcome. 

Booker, meanwhile, posted an emotional Instagram video shortly after the event, thanking supporters and stating that she “did not foresee this outcome,” which suggests uncertainty about her competitive future.​

Explicit Content Discovered at 3 A.M. Monday

The scandal erupted in the early hours of Monday, November 24, around 3 a.m., when several athletes reportedly received explicit images and videos allegedly showing Booker in adult content. 

Competitors described the material as “very graphic” and said they were blindsided, having assumed all entrants cleared rigorous vetting procedures before competing in the women’s category. This overnight discovery prompted immediate contact between organizers and Thompson, initiating what would become an urgent investigation.​

Online Links to “Jammie Jay” and 2017 YouTube Statement

Online observers quickly connected Booker to an adult performer named “Jammie Jay,” listed in the Internet Adult Film Database as a “trans woman” with Trans Erotica Awards nominations in 2020 and 2022. 

Additionally, a 2017 YouTube video appeared to show Booker describing herself as “a 21-year-old trans woman” struggling with conservative parents, lending credibility to online allegations about her background. These findings circulated rapidly among competitors and on social media.​​

Official Strongman Investigation and 24-Hour Ultimatum

Once allegations surfaced, Official Strongman Games launched what it described as an “urgent investigation,” contacting leading competitors, including Thompson, early Monday morning. 

Organizers stated they attempted to reach Booker and provided a 24-hour period for her to respond to eligibility concerns, but received no reply before issuing their final decision. The official Strongman’s statement emphasized that they “were unaware” of Booker’s status prior to the competition, claiming they discovered it only after the results were finalized.​

Title Stripped, Policy Clarified: “Biological Sex at Birth”

On Tuesday, November 26, the Official Strongman Games announced Booker’s disqualification and recalculated all standings in accordance with their stated policy: competitors “can only compete in the category for the biological sex recorded at birth.” 

Thompson was promoted from second place and officially declared the 2025 World’s Strongest Woman. Australian athlete Allira-Joy Cowley rose into the silver-medal position, with cascading promotions affecting every finalist on the leaderboard.​

Iron Ape Cuts Ties: “Misrepresented Critical Information”

Even before the Official Strongman’s public disqualification announcement, strength-equipment company Iron Ape terminated its relationship with Booker. Owner Colton Cross stated Booker was “no longer affiliated” with the brand, alleging she had “misrepresented critical information to OSG officials and judges,” thereby gaining an unfair competitive advantage. 

Cross emphasized the decision centered on honesty and eligibility rather than gender identity, stating Iron Ape “does not, and never will, discriminate based on gender, race, sexual orientation, or any personal characteristic.”​

Rebecca Roberts: “Women’s Divisions Must Remain Biologically Female-Only”

Three-time World’s Strongest Woman champion Rebecca Roberts issued a detailed public statement in support of Thompson and calling for clear protections. “Trans individuals have a place in sport, but women’s divisions must remain biologically female-only,” Roberts wrote, emphasizing fairness concerns. 

She added, “What transpired this weekend lacked transparency. None of us were aware, not even the organizers. When fairness is compromised, trust in the sport begins to erode.”​

Andrea Thompson: “The Most Exhausting Experience of My Career”

Thompson celebrated her promotion to champion but characterized the ordeal as emotionally draining. “What should be a momentous occasion has sadly been overshadowed by scandal and dishonesty from someone who was welcomed into our crazy sport,” Thompson wrote on Instagram. 

She continued: “A sport which encourages women to celebrate themselves without being judged on how society says they should be.” Thompson noted that competitors faced harassment and criticism, describing widespread emotional exhaustion across the community.​

Mitchell Hooper and Donna Moore Highlight Physical Disparity

Mitchell Hooper, the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, attended the event and later highlighted stark physical differences. “The first time I saw Jammie, I thought: ‘This woman looks different,'” Hooper recalled, estimating Booker was several inches taller and approximately 100 pounds heavier than her nearest female rival. 

Three-time champion Donna Moore also weighed in, describing Andrea Thompson as the “true World’s Strongest Woman” and praising her “champion’s performance.”​

GoFundMe Campaign Reveals Training Costs and Ambitions

In September 2025, Booker launched a GoFundMe titled “Help Jammie Become ‘World’s Strongest Woman,'” raising approximately $1,593 against a $1,500 goal to cover registration fees, flights, and accommodation for the Texas competition. 

In her campaign description, Booker identified herself as a Planet Fitness trainer and wrote that she had “a good chance of reaching the podium” at the international championships. Her TikTok biography branded her “World’s Strongest Lesbian.”​

Texas Attorney General Announces Investigation

The case rapidly escalated beyond sports coverage into political territory. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an official investigation into the event on November 26, accusing organizers and governing bodies of undermining protections for women’s sports. 

His office stated it would “take any and all actions to protect women’s sports both in Texas and across the nation,” framing the situation as part of a broader effort to safeguard female athletic opportunities and categories.​

Texas Investigation Sparks Political Firestorm

Paxton’s announcement transformed a sports controversy into a political battleground. His office explicitly accused organizers of enabling “the radical left to sacrifice the integrity of girls’ sports on the altar of their delusional transgender agenda.” 

The Texas Attorney General vowed to use “any and all actions” to protect women’s sports, suggesting potential legal consequences for event organizers and raising questions about whether state laws could criminalize transgender athletes competing in women’s categories.​

Donna Moore: “Andrea Thompson Was the Real Winner”

Three-time champion Donna Moore publicly endorsed Thompson’s victory, writing on social media that “Andrea Thompson was the real winner” and praising her performance as deserving of the title. 

Moore joined Mitchell Hooper and Rebecca Roberts in a chorus of elite athletes who rejected Booker’s initial win, arguing that women’s divisions must remain exclusively for those assigned female at birth to maintain competitive fairness and protect the sport’s integrity. 

Coach Laurence Shahlaei: “Thompson Absolutely Dominated Key Events”

Thompson’s coach, Laurence Shahlaei, publicly defended her performance, stating she had “absolutely dominated” several critical events, including the deadlift, log lift, and circus dumbbell. 

Shahlaei emphasized that women’s divisions “exist for a reason,” adding that Thompson’s rightful victory should be celebrated without the cloud of controversy. He also acknowledged third-place finisher Jackie, who moved into the medals after Booker’s disqualification.​

Verification Policy Gaps Exposed by Incident

Strongman Corporation’s October 2025 qualification standards reveal no explicit verification process for biological sex, relying instead on self-reporting and competition history. The official athlete overview document states that athletes must show membership cards and proof of eligibility, but lacks protocols for confirming sex at birth. 

This policy vacuum allowed Booker to compete despite having only three professional women’s events on record, exposing critical oversight failures in the sport’s governance structure.​

Prize Money and Ranking Points at Stake

World’s Strongest Woman titles carry significant financial and career implications, with first-place prizes historically reaching $25,000 at major events and crucial ranking points determining qualification for future championships. 

The disqualification cost Booker not only the title but also potential sponsorships, appearance fees, and coaching opportunities that accompany elite status. Meanwhile, Thompson secured the full winner’s purse, boosting her career earnings and solidifying her position at the top of the 2025 global rankings.​

GoFundMe Donors Express Betrayal and Demand Refunds

Booker’s September 2025 GoFundMe campaign, which raised $1,593 from supporters who believed they were funding a legitimate female competitor, sparked outrage among donors when the controversy emerged. 

Instagram comments on the campaign page show multiple donors expressing feelings of betrayal, with some demanding refunds and others accusing Booker of fraudulently misrepresenting her identity to solicit funds for competition expenses she was ultimately ineligible to claim legitimately.​

Community Division and Harassment Reports

The controversy has fractured the strongwoman community, with athletes reporting harassment from both supporters and critics of Booker’s participation. Thompson described receiving both solidarity messages and abuse, stating the ordeal became “the most exhausting experience of my career” due to relentless social media scrutiny. 

Some athletes report being attacked for speaking out, while others face cancellation threats for supporting transgender inclusion, creating a toxic environment that extends far beyond the competition platform.​

Future Implications for Transgender Athlete Participation

The Booker case represents a watershed moment for strength sports, forcing governing bodies to confront whether existing self-reporting systems can withstand scrutiny in an era of instant digital investigation. 

With the International Olympic Committee planning to centralize gender-eligibility criteria and World Athletics implementing stricter verification, strongwoman sports may soon follow suit, potentially requiring medical documentation or even biological testing to compete in women’s divisions—a policy shift that could exclude transgender women entirely from elite competition.

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