The Union Cyclist International (UCI) governing body has ruled that transgender cyclist Emily Bridges is not eligible to compete in Saturday's women's British National Omnium Championship, The Guardian reported.
Emily Bridges, 21, came out as transgender in 2020 but has been racing in men's competition while transitioning, according to the report.
Saturday would have been Bridges' first women's competition after having set the national junior men's 25-mile record in 2018, but the UCI ruled Bridges is still registered as a male and cannot compete as a female until the male UCI ID expired.
Women have talked about boycotting the event if Bridges were permitted to compete.
"We have been in close discussions with the UCI regarding Emily's participation this weekend and have also engaged closely with Emily and her family regarding her transition and involvement in elite competitions," British Cycling wrote in a statement.
"We acknowledge the decision of the UCI with regards to Emily's participation, however we fully recognize her disappointment with today's decision."
British Cycling said more clarity and "fairness" are "essential" for transgender sports eligibility, calling for a "coalition" to address issues that are becoming mainstream.
"Transgender and non-binary inclusion is bigger than one race and one athlete — it is a challenge for all elite sports," its statement continued. "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.
"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."
Five British sports councils issued a scientific review last September, showing biological men and women "retained differences in strength, stamina, and physique between the average woman compared with the average transgender woman or non-binary person registered male at birth," The Guardian reported.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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