Transgender athlete Emily Bridges will lose the British Track Cycling Championship. The International Federation will not allow her into the women’s omnium race. She still registers Bridges as a male cyclist.
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Five-time Olympic champion Laura Kenny (right) was to face a transgender opponent at the British Championship.
| Foto: TK/AP/Thibault Camus
The 21-year-old British woman underwent hormone therapy a year ago to compete with women. Thanks to the treatment, she was able to keep testosterone levels below 5 nanomolar per liter for 12 months. She thus met the requirements of the British Federation, but the International Federation eventually banned her from participating in the national omni championship.
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Reason? The UCI still leads Bridges as a male cyclist. Therefore, until her registration expires, she cannot race like a woman. Bridges’s five-time Olympic champion Laura Kenny will not be able to meet.
“We acknowledge the UCI’s decision not to include Emily in the national championship, but we are fully aware of her disappointment at this decision,” said the British Cycling Federation.
On #ComingOutDayEmily Bridges shares the story of her cycling journey on the Great Britain academy programme, and being a trans athlete.
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) October 11, 2020
Although Bridges came with her coming out in 2020, she still competed in the men’s disciplines. Last month, she won the men’s scoring race at the British University Championships in Glasgow.
“After starting hormone therapy, I didn’t want to compete in the men’s category more than necessary. It’s about mushrooms, racing like a man when you’re not, “she told the Cycling Weekly Bridges server, which set a national junior record of 25 miles in 2018 as Zach.
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The decision of the highest cycling body thus re-ignited the heated debate about the inclusion of transgender women among sportswomen. Recently, US transgender swimmer Li Thomas caught criticism from rivals after winning the US NCAA University Championships.
Representatives of British cycling encourage unity across sports. “Transgender and non-binary inclusion is bigger than one race and one athlete – it’s a challenge for all top sports.”
Today we’re calling for a coalition to address transgender and non-binary participation in elite sport, and can provide an update on this weekend’s British National Omnium Championships.
Read more: https://t.co/MYjV2scXfn pic.twitter.com/ETbxYVzIfK
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) March 30, 2022
“We fully recognize the right of people to change and to make this transition. But I’m a little worried that their participation in women’s events will affect the fairness of the competition. The rule of five nanomoles of testosterone per liter that we have now is probably not enough, “admitted UCI President David Lappartient in an interview with BBC Sport.
