Female transgender athletes who transitioned after male puberty will no longer be able to compete in women含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 events.
came after American rider Austin Killips became the first openly transgender woman to win an official cycling event in May.
含羞草研究社淔rom now on, female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women含羞草研究社檚 events on the UCI international calendar 含羞草研究社� in all categories 含羞草研究社� in the various disciplines,含羞草研究社� the international federation said in a statement.
The UCI said the ban, starting on Monday, was necessary to 含羞草研究社渆nsure equal opportunities.含羞草研究社�
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含羞草研究社檚 events.
The UCI said Friday it 含羞草研究社渉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.含羞草研究社�
It also noted the difficulty to 含羞草研究社渄raw precise conclusions about the effects含羞草研究社� of gender-confirming hormone therapy.
含羞草研究社淕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,含羞草研究社� the UCI added.
In May, the UCI 含羞草研究社� led by its French president David Lappartient, an International Olympic Committee member 含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社� Bastille Day in France 含羞草研究社� during a key mountains stage in the Tour de France.
Despite the ban, Lappartient said 含羞草研究社渢he UCI would like to reaffirm that cycling 含羞草研究社� as a competitive sport, leisure activity or means of transport 含羞草研究社� is open to everyone, including transgender people, whom we encourage like everyone else to take part in our sport.含羞草研究社�
The UCI said its men含羞草研究社檚 category will be renamed 含羞草研究社淢en/Open含羞草研究社� at international Masters events 含羞草研究社� which are below elite level for riders aged at least 30 含羞草研究社� adding that 含羞草研究社渁ny athlete who does not meet the conditions for participation in women含羞草研究社檚 events will be admitted without restriction.含羞草研究社�
Lappartient insisted the UCI 含羞草研究社渇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.含羞草研究社�
The UCI follows British Cycling in approving a in May, which included plans to split competitive races into 含羞草研究社渙pen含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渇emale含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 over-87-kilogram class.
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