Transgender Australian becomes the first biological male to become a world champion in a women’s sport – and rivals are NOT happy

Furious croquet players felt “pretty bad” after a transgender Australian became women’s world champion.

Canberra’s Jamie Gambrell won the women’s golf croquet championship in August, but it has since emerged that the 23-year-old, who identified as male until 2019, is transgender.

Two years ago, the World Croquet Federation changed its rules to allow competitors to choose their gender.

But now rival members have come out against her. Telegraph reporting that some competitors were unaware they would have to compete against a biological male at the Sussex event.

They also argued that Gambrell had a strength advantage because she was born male.

Croquet became the subject of a transgender scandal after Jamie Gambrel won the women’s world title.

“There was huge anxiety,” Sue Lightbody, a member of England’s World Cup squad, told the same publication.

“But no one was ready to say or do anything. I was very upset by this situation. We thought that it would be against us, that we would not be chosen for another team.

“Everything was kept secret, everyone was afraid that they would be called transphobic.

“People told me not to get involved, saying, ‘Don’t do anything, you’ll make yourself very unpopular.’

“But this just shouldn’t happen. This is fundamentally unfair.”

Ian Berridge, WCF President, responded: “The fact that Jamie was assigned male at birth is not disputed by anyone.

“Jamie now identifies as a woman as her participation in the World Championships was determined in accordance with our policy approved by our members in April 2021.

“We welcome feedback given the concerns that exist.”

According to The Telegraph, since Gambrel identified herself as a woman, she has won every tournament she has entered.

Gambrel defeated England’s Rachel Gee 7–2 in the final, with an initial report claiming that Gee was crying behind her sunglasses during the trophy presentation.

Gambrel, 23, was born a biological male and her rivals claim she has an unfair advantage.

Lightbody added that Gambrell’s strength advantage was unfair compared to the rest of the competition.

“The key shot in golf croquet is the jump shot,” she said.

“If you’re on the boundary, you can jump over a couple of balls and go through the hoop. I can only do medium jumps, I can’t do them from the baseline.

“But Jamie can.” This is a huge advantage over a woman.”

Gambrel first started playing croquet at age 15 after her grandparents introduced her to the sport.

“They took Jamie to the Canberra Croquet Club, where she has been a member ever since,” her biography on the Women’s World Golf Croquet Championship website reads. “Peter Freer was a mentor and taught her how to play.”