Samoan weightlifter Iuniarra Sipaia is on course to face New Zealand’s controversial transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next month.

The local favourite confirmed her spot in the Tokyo Olympics recently and says she is honored to be representing the country.

But competing in the 87+ women’s category puts Sipaia on course to face Hubbard again, whom she lost to in the gold medal play-off at the Australian Open weightlifting competition in 2017.

And then lost again to the Kiwi at the 2019 Pacific Games in Apia two years later in the 87+ women’s category.

Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork, the President of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation, has been critical of Hubbard’s participation at major regional and international sporting events and decried the lack of fairness.

“Women need to have an equal arena, because someone else is taking drugs, doping, or an unfair arena, I still think it’s almost the same as there is,” he said in an interview with Reuters early this month.

“This is a problem that needs to be addressed and is a very delicate issue.

“And I think every woman should stand up and tackle this issue...and appeal to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and try to turn it around.”

In 2015 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) changed its rules that allowed trans women to participate – if their testosterone levels (the major male sex hormone that creates muscle mass) – remains below a threshold for at least a year before and after competition.

Hubbard, who is 43 years of age and transitioned to female in her 30s, has reignited debate on whether transgender women have an unfair physical advantage over their other female competitors. 

Tuaopepe is not alone in his opposition against the participation of Hubbard, who will become the first openly transgender athlete to compete at an Olympic Games.

An online petition to suspend the transgender policy promulgated by the IOC has been launched and argues that it is “unfair to women due to the incontrovertible physical advantage that trans women have”.

As of Sunday the online petition had already garnered over 19,000 signatures, reports the South China Morning Post newspaper.

Athletes from around the world including weightlifters have also spoken up against Hubbard.

They include Belgian weightlifter Anna Vanbellinghen, who will compete in the same 87+ category as Hubbard. 

"Anyone that has trained weightlifting at a high level knows this to be true in their bones: this particular situation is unfair to the sport and to the athletes," she said, reports Newsweek magazine.

"Life-changing opportunities are missed for some athletes—medals and Olympic qualifications—and we are powerless."

Despite the growing opposition, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently declared that she supported the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s decision to select Hubbard for the Tokyo Games.

"Parties here have simply followed the rules," the New Zealand Prime Minister said on Tuesday, according to the New Zealand Herald.

"That's the case for Laurel but also the team in New Zealand - they have followed the rules.

"The alternative is to have someone who followed the rules but then is denied the ability to participate.

"So, ultimately, I leave it to those bodies and that's the decision they've made and that's within the standard that's been set globally."

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games is scheduled to be held from 23 July 2021 to 8 August 2021.