British Cycling to ban transgender women from competing in female category

Under a new participation policy that the governing body said was โ€œpredicated on fairnessโ€, such athletes will compete in an โ€˜open categoryโ€™ with men

Female races will be โ€œfor those whose sex was assigned female at birthโ€.

The changes will prevent riders such as Emily Bridges potentially being part of the British womenโ€™s team.

Last year Bridges โ€“ the countryโ€™s highest-profile transgender cyclist โ€“ was stopped from competing in her first elite womenโ€™s race by the UCI, cyclingโ€™s world federation, despite meeting the rules at the time.

Bridges reacted to the announcement with a statement on social media, calling the change a โ€œviolent actโ€ by a โ€œfailed organisationโ€ that was โ€œcontrollingโ€ the conversation on transgender inclusion.

She added that the racing scene was โ€œdying under its watchโ€ and that British Cycling was engaged in โ€œculture warsโ€.

British Cyclingโ€™s policy had allowed transgender women to take part in elite female events if they met testosterone-based regulations.

But with the governing body at the heart of the debate over balancing inclusion with fairness, its regulations were suspended amid mounting controversy about Bridges and a review was launched.

โ€œResearch studies indicate that even with the suppression of testosterone, transgender women who transition post-puberty retain a performance advantage,โ€ said British Cycling.

โ€œOur aim in creating our policies has always been to advance and promote equality, diversity and inclusion, while at the same time prioritising fairness of competition.

โ€œWe recognise the impact the suspension of our policy has had on trans and non-binary people, and we are sorry for the uncertainty and upset that many have felt during this period.โ€

Transgender women will be able to participate in non-competitive recreational and community cycling without restriction.

The new policies will be implemented by the end of the year.

โ€˜You have no right to tell me when I am doneโ€™ โ€“ Bridges response

In her statement, Bridges was critical of the state of British Cycling and its treatment of transgender riders.

โ€œCycling is still one of the whitest, straightest sports out there and you couldnโ€™t care less,โ€ she said. โ€œI agree there needs to be a nuanced policy discussion and continue to conduct research. This hasnโ€™t happened.

โ€œResearch isnโ€™t being viewed critically, or any discussion about the relevance of the data to specific sports.

โ€œIโ€™ve given my body up to science for the last two years, and this data will be out soon.

โ€œThere is actual, relevant data coming soon and discussions need to be had.โ€

Bridges claimed discussion of the debate is โ€œinherently politicalโ€ and โ€œframed by the media who are driven through engagement by hateโ€, saying she was โ€œterrified to existโ€.

She claimed British Cycling was โ€œfurthering a genocide against us. Bans from sport is how it startsโ€.

She added: โ€œI know a lot of people will think Iโ€™m being dramatic, or overplaying how scary things are at the moment. I donโ€™t even know if I want to race my bike any moreโ€ฆ but you have no right on telling me when I am done.โ€

British Cycling is not commenting on Bridgesโ€™ statement.

Whatโ€™s the background?

Having been a highly promising competitor in junior menโ€™s events, Bridges came out as transgender in 2020, starting hormone therapy as part of her gender dysphoria treatment.

She then became eligible to compete in elite womenโ€™s events under British Cyclingโ€™s transgender regulations, which required riders to have had testosterone levels below five nanomoles per litre for a 12-month period prior to competition.

But days before the 2022 National Omnium Championships, the UCI said Bridgesโ€™ participation could only be allowed once her eligibility to race in international competitions was confirmed, dashing her hopes of competing for Wales in the Commonwealth Games.

A group of elite female cyclists called on the UCI to โ€œrescindโ€ its rules around transgender participation, claiming female athletes in the UK were โ€œwilling to boycottโ€ events over their โ€œconcerns about fairness in their sportโ€.

Bridges said she felt โ€œharassed and demonisedโ€ and had โ€œlittle clarityโ€ on her eligibility. She added that she โ€œdoes not have any advantageโ€ over her competitors, and could prove it with data.

While British Cycling suspended its rules, the UCI then toughened its regulations, doubling the qualification period to two years and lowering the required testosterone threshold for transgender women riders to 2.5nmol/L.

But this month, after Austin Killips became the first transgender woman to win a UCI womenโ€™s stage race at the Tour of the Gila, the world governing body re-opened consultation on the issue, saying it โ€œhears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitorsโ€.

โ€˜Paucity of researchโ€™ โ€“ British Cycling boss

โ€œWe acknowledge the paucity of research at this time, but can only look at whatโ€™s available to use,โ€ said British Cycling chief executive Jon Dutton.

โ€œI am confident that we have developed policies that both safeguard the fairness of cycle-sport competition, whilst ensuring all riders have opportunities to participate.

โ€œWe have always been very clear that this is a challenge far greater than one sport. We remain committed to listening to our communities, to monitor changes in the scientific and policy landscape, to ensure that sport is inclusive for all.โ€

Fiona McAnena from Fair Play For Women told BBC Radio 4โ€™s World at One she was โ€œconcerned about all the women and girls who need to know that sport will be fair so I think an open category is a great solution because it doesnโ€™t negate anyoneโ€™s identityโ€ฆ[and] the female category can be protected.โ€

โ€œWeโ€™re finally reverting to fairness. We are going to see it across all sports.โ€

However Joanna Harper โ€“ a sports scientist who studies the effects of transition on transgender athletes, and who is transgender herself โ€“ said she was โ€œdisappointed but not surprisedโ€.

โ€œI donโ€™t think itโ€™s necessaryโ€ she told BBC Radio 5Live. โ€œTrans women have been competing in cycling for many yearsโ€ฆand although they have achieved some success in the sport, they are under-represented and are not anywhere near taking over the sport.โ€

In March, UK Athletics also banned transgender women from competing in the female category in its competitions and events. There have been similar moves in swimming,triathlon and both codes of rugby.

A number of studies have suggested transgender women retain cardiovascular and strength advantages compared to female athletes, even after taking testosterone-suppressing hormones.

Critics of transgender athletesโ€™ participation in some womenโ€™s sports argue that gives them a disproportionate advantage over their peers and limits opportunities for their rivals.

However, others argue there is not enough detailed research in the area, that the science is not clear, and that with very few elite transgender athletes, sport should be more inclusive, with open categories criticised for being discriminatory.

British Cycling said its women-only community programme โ€œwill continue to remain open and inclusive for transgender women and non-binary peopleโ€ who can โ€œcontinue to participate in a broad range of British Cycling activities in line with their gender identitiesโ€.

See more here bbc.co.uk

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    VOWG

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    Logic and rational thinking, wow.

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