Transgender Weightlifter Temporarily Paralyzed Man in 2018 Car Accident, Judge Originally Suppressed Name to Avoid ‘Causing Stress While Training for the Olympics’

A weightlifter from New Zealand who is set to become the first transgender athlete in the 125-year history of the Olympic Games during this summer’s Tokyo games caused a 2018 car accident that left a man temporarily paralyzed.

In addition, the judge in that case granted Laurel Hubbard suppression orders at each of the five stages of the court process in order to avoid “causing stress while training for the Olympics” which were to be held last year originally.

The High Court ultimately overturned the suppression orders after an appeal by Stuff, a New Zealand news site.

The Australian victims of the serious crash were appalled at what they say is a lenient penalty, and the suppression of Hubbard’s name.

“The penalty and suppression were totally unjust. No notice was taken of our feelings and she (Hubbard) got everything she wanted,” Sue Wells, the wife of Gary Wells, who was temporarily paralyzed, said.

According to Stuff, Hubbard was discharged without conviction, ordered to pay the couple about $13,000, and was disqualified from driving for only one month, when the typical suspension would be six.

Hubbard had been charged with careless driving causing injury after her vehicle fishtailed on a sharp bend on October 24, 2018 and stuck the couple.

Australian Trump supporter Sydney Watson commented on the unearthed news, “Society is a joke.”

So, the transgender weightlifter poised to compete against women at the Olympics paralyzed someone in a car accident in 2018.

The judge originally had Hubbard’s name suppressed to avoid “causing stress while training for the Olympics”

Society is a joke.https://t.co/iis7E06sMc

— Sydney Watson (@SydneyLWatson) June 22, 2021

Townhall previously reported:

Laurel Hubbard was born Gavin Hubbard, the son of future Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard. As a 20-year-old amateur, Gavin set three men’s New Zealand junior records in the 1998 Interschools Weightlifting Championship 2014 — in the snatch 135 kg, clean and jerk 170 kg, and total 300 kg divisions. These records have since been broken by another Tokyo Olympian, David Liti.

While competing in men’s events, Gavin never broke into international weightlifting. But in 2012 at the age of 34, Gavin transitioned, becoming Laurel Hubbard. Competing against biological women, Laurel became a force, placing second overall at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships in Anaheim, California.

More controversially, Laurel won gold at the 2019 Pacific Games held in Apia, Samoa, sparking outrage from both the Samoan prime minister and women’s lobbying groups across New Zealand. One such group, Speak Up For Women NZ, has argued that athletic events ought to be categorized by biological sex, not gender identity.

“Kiwis know that males competing in women’s sport is blatantly unfair,” the group’s spokeswoman, Ani O’Brien, said after the 2019 Pacific Games.

Hubbard’s participation in women’s events has garnered criticism from other members of Team New Zealand, including Tracy Lambrechs who won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland. Lambrechs claimed last month that the team’s biological women had been told to “be quiet” about their fairness concerns. And on Monday, Lambrechs voiced her opposition to Hubbard’s selection for the Olympics.

“I understand the NZOC and Olympic Weightlifting NZ are only following guidelines and rules — as is Laurel — but I think now we have to say, ‘this is happening, how can we make this process better and safer in the future for any other transgender athletes coming through, and how can we make sure women’s sport isn’t greatly affected by this outcome?’” Lambrechs said.

The Tokyo Olympics begin on July 23 while Hubbard’s main event — the women’s 87-kilogram division — will begin on Aug. 2, according to the Olympic weightlifting schedule.