Transgender athletes and the LGBTQ community were dealt a major blow this week as the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) – the governing body for international cycling competitions – announced on Friday morning that transgender cyclists will no longer be allowed to compete in the women’s division.
The UCI released a statement announcing the decision on Friday morning.
“The meeting of the UCI Management Committee was held following a seminar on the conditions for the participation of transgender athletes in women’s cycling events, organised by the UCI on 21 June, at which the various stakeholders – transgender and cisgender athletes, experts from the scientific, legal and human rights fields, and sporting institutions – were able to present their respective positions,” the statement read according to Fox News.
“From now on, female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women’s events on the UCI International Calendar – in all categories – in the various disciplines.”
It’s massive news in the world of sports, and people had plenty to say about it on social media.
The organization should be banned from conducting US events
— Sizzling Heat News (@SizzlingHeat) July 14, 2023
The governing body of cycling (UCI) banned transgender women who have undergone male puberty from competing in the female category of competitive events on Friday, while renaming the men's category Men/Open. https://t.co/K4C1LhjLCA
— Reuters Sports (@ReutersSports) July 14, 2023
Female transgender athletes who transitioned after male puberty will no longer be able to compete in women’s races, the world governing body for sports cycling said. https://t.co/YmvvCklKKl
— KCTV5 News (@KCTV5) July 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/InBaix/status/1679844198676156418?s=20
https://twitter.com/InvictaReport/status/1679838810429960196?s=20
UCI bans transgender female cyclists who have transitioned after puberty from international women’s races
The governing body says its previous rules are not “sufficient to completely eliminate the benefits of testosterone during puberty in men”https://t.co/qSBBEKTUSu #cycling
— road.cc (@roadcc) July 14, 2023
As expected, @UCI_cycling changed their policy for transgender women for their entire cycling calendar. “From now on female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women's events." pic.twitter.com/OFQiV3vSE0
— Jan Coppens (@jgcoppens) July 14, 2023
This decision comes just two months after the UCI defended its rules that allowed for the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports as the governing body has reversed course.
[Fox News]