The worldwide governing body of cycling competitions, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), has announced that it will reconsider its lenient transgender policies in light of a rise of “concerns” from natural-born female cyclists who say allowing men claiming to be women to compete as women is unfair.
In the wake of yet another man winning a women’s title, UCI will revisit its policies and may have a decision about altering the rules by August.
“The UCI’s objective remains the same: to take into consideration, in the context of the evolution of our society, the desire of transgender athletes to practice cycling,” the group said, according to The Guardian. “The UCI also hears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitors, and will take into account all elements, including the evolution of scientific knowledge.”
A week ago, transgender cyclist Austin Killips won first place in the women’s category in New Mexico’s Tour of the Gila cycling race, sparking yet another wave of criticism of the cycling world’s loose rules allowing trans competitors.
Austin Killips @AmyD_Foundation put an exclamation point on her overall race lead Sunday by winning Stage 5 Gila Monster and taking home the overall victory at Tour of the Gila. #UCIWomen #TOTG2023https://t.co/exLh7kIIJI
— Tour of the Gila (@TouroftheGila) May 1, 2023
Killips is only the latest cyclist born a man to knock women out of competition in cycling.
As far back as 2018, men have entered women’s categories and beat female competitors. Last year, two men placed first and second in the women’s category at the London ThunderCrit. The pair kissed on the winner’s platform to rub their victory in everyone’s face. And a male-born cycler also won the Randall’s Island Crit in New York City at the end of March.
"The money is important, but by continuing & even accelerating Tour of the Gila’s tradition of supporting female athletes, this move affirms the value of women’s racing,”
Dreadful @TouroftheGila that @UCI_cycling let men race as women#SaveWomensSports https://t.co/9yl8vtmBwS— Women's Rights Network – WRN (@WomensRightsNet) May 1, 2023
Female racers, though, have begun speaking out as more and more men take women out of the winner’s circle in the sport.
Recently, 35-time champion Hannah Arensman announced that she is quitting her sport after watching as one male-born cyclist wins one women’s title after another. Arensman revealed her retirement in a court filing supporting West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports law, which bars transgender athletes from choosing their own gender categories in the state’s schools.
Now, another female competitive cycler is speaking out and took to Fox News to decry how “discouraging and disheartening” it is that so many trans women are beating women in her sport.
Appearing on Fox & Friends First, cycler Holly Lavesser said she has also thought of quitting the sport after being “forced to compete in unfair competitions.”
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