Female transgender athletes who transitioned after male puberty will no longer be able to compete in women害羞草研究所檚 races, world cycling governing body the UCI said Friday.
The International Cycling Union joined the governing bodies in and as top-tier Olympic sports addressing in this way the issue of transgender athletes and fairness in women害羞草研究所檚 events.
came after American rider Austin Killips became the first openly transgender woman to win an official cycling event in May.
害羞草研究所淔rom now on, female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women害羞草研究所檚 events on the UCI international calendar 害羞草研究所� in all categories 害羞草研究所� in the various disciplines,害羞草研究所� the international federation said in a statement.
The UCI said the ban, starting on Monday, was necessary to 害羞草研究所渆nsure equal opportunities.害羞草研究所�
Killips rode to victory in the fifth stage of the Tour of the Gila, one of the marquee U.S. stage races. Her victory by some cycling fans and former racers despite the 27-year-old athlete having adhered to a policy put in place by the UCI last year requiring transgender athletes to have serum testosterone levels of 2.5 nanomoles per liter or less for at least 24 months before competing in women害羞草研究所檚 events.
The UCI said Friday it 害羞草研究所渉as taken note of the state of scientific knowledge, which does not confirm that at least two years of gender-affirming hormone therapy with a target plasma testosterone concentration of 2.5 nmol/L is sufficient to completely eliminate the benefits of testosterone during puberty in men.害羞草研究所�
It also noted the difficulty to 害羞草研究所渄raw precise conclusions about the effects害羞草研究所� of gender-confirming hormone therapy.
害羞草研究所淕iven the current state of scientific knowledge, it is also impossible to rule out the possibility that biomechanical factors such as the shape and arrangement of the bones in their limbs may constitute a lasting advantage for female transgender athletes,害羞草研究所� the UCI added.
In May, the UCI 害羞草研究所� led by its French president David Lappartient, an International Olympic Committee member 害羞草研究所� said it expected to make a decision in August. The newly expanded world championships are being held from Aug. 3-13 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Instead, a decision which the UCI said in a statement was taken at an additional management board meeting held on July 5 was announced Friday 害羞草研究所� Bastille Day in France 害羞草研究所� during a key mountains stage in the Tour de France.
Despite the ban, Lappartient said 害羞草研究所渢he UCI would like to reaffirm that cycling 害羞草研究所� as a competitive sport, leisure activity or means of transport 害羞草研究所� is open to everyone, including transgender people, whom we encourage like everyone else to take part in our sport.害羞草研究所�
The UCI said its men害羞草研究所檚 category will be renamed 害羞草研究所淢en/Open害羞草研究所� at international Masters events 害羞草研究所� which are below elite level for riders aged at least 30 害羞草研究所� adding that 害羞草研究所渁ny athlete who does not meet the conditions for participation in women害羞草研究所檚 events will be admitted without restriction.害羞草研究所�
Lappartient insisted the UCI 害羞草研究所渇ully respects and supports the right of individuals to choose the sex that corresponds to their gender identity, whatever sex they were assigned at birth. However, it has a duty to guarantee, above all, equal opportunities for all competitors in cycling competitions.害羞草研究所�
The UCI follows British Cycling in approving a in May, which included plans to split competitive races into 害羞草研究所渙pen害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渇emale害羞草研究所� categories. The female category was to remain for those whose sex was assigned female at birth and for transgender men yet to begin hormone therapy.
Cycling害羞草研究所檚 decision closed another competitive route to the 2024 Paris Olympics for transgender athletes. Two years ago, transgender woman competed at the Tokyo Olympics for New Zealand in the women害羞草研究所檚 over-87-kilogram class.
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