British Cycling has announced a ban on transgender women participating in cycling events for females. This has impacted many cyclists who have been preparing for the competition.
Transgender women will no longer be allowed to participate in competitive women’s events organized by British Cycling , as the organization introduces changes that will transform the men’s category into an open one.
This policy change comes as a disappointment for transgender cyclist Emily Bridges, whose aspirations of competing in women’s competitions have been dashed. Bridges, now 22 years old, was barred from her first women’s event in Derby 14 months ago, where she was supposed to face the renowned five-time Olympic champion Dame Laura Kenny. The ruling by cycling’s world governing body stated that Bridges, still registered as a male cyclist at the time, was ineligible to compete.
It’s important to note that this newly announced policy will only apply to British Cycling events, as the Union Cycliste Internationale ( UCI ), the global governing body for cycling, has yet to release its own transgender eligibility guidelines.
British Cycling expressed regret for the "uncertainty and upset" caused by the suspension of their transgender and non-binary participation policy in April 2022. This suspension was intended to facilitate research and consultation.
When questioned about whether the new policy could be seen as discriminatory, Jon Dutton, Chief Executive of British Cycling, emphasized the organization’s commitment to inclusivity. Dutton stated that an open category has been created to allow anyone to participate, alongside a non-competitive policy that aims to […]
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