British Cycling may ban transgender women from elite races
Federation's new policy would come into effect in late May
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Andy Vermaut @AndyVermaut
According to a report in the Times, British Cycling may begin banning transgender cyclists from elite women’s events. The new policy is apparently going to be announced in late May. If British Cycling enacts the policy, it would be different from the current UCI rules that allow transgender women as long as they have certain testosterone levels. The new policy comes after the federation conducted a review and consultation of the issue.
In April 2022, the UCI disallowed Bridges from riding at the British national omnium championships after several riders threatened to boycott the event. In a statement, British Cycling said the cyclist was “disappointed” with the international governing body’s decision.
Coalition for transgender and non-binary cyclists
At the time the federation also suggested a “coalition” regarding transgender and non‑binary cyclists at the elite level. “Transgender and non-binary inclusion is bigger than one race and one athlete. It is a challenge for all elite sports. We believe all participants within our sport deserve more clarity and understanding around participation in elite competitions and we will continue to work with the UCI on both Emily’s case and the wider situation with regards to this issue.”
UCI may reassess rules for transgender and non-binary participation in cycling
British Cycling underscored that it believed that the process was still ongoing.
“We also understand that in elite sports the concept of fairness is essential. For this reason, British Cycling is today calling for a coalition to share, learn and understand more about how we can achieve fairness in a way that maintains the dignity and respect of all athletes. Across sports, far more needs to be done, collectively, before any long-term conclusions can be drawn.”
UCI weighs in on Austin Killips winning at Tour of the Gila
The discussion on the issue of transgender riders competing in women’s events follows Austin Killips winning the Tour of the Gila. Killips, who transitioned in 2019, is the first trans woman to win a UCI women’s stage race.
Following the win in New Mexico, the UCI made a statement to CNN. “The UCI acknowledges that transgender athletes may wish to compete in accordance with their gender identity,” it read.“The UCI rules are based on the latest scientific knowledge and have been applied in a consistent manner. The UCI continues to follow the evolution of scientific findings and may change its rules in the future as scientific knowledge evolves.”
Evolving process
According to the report in the Times, British Cycling is also considering the creation of a new open category as well as the current women’s category in the elite level, similar to what British Triathlon has.
The UCI’s policy is currently different than that of swimming and athletics that does not permit transgender women who have gone through male puberty to compete in elite women’s races. The current policy in cycling is as long as a transgender woman has lowered levels of testosterone levels they can complete. The cyclist must have less than 2.5 nanomoles per litre for two years to be eligible to race.
