One of British Cycling’s most senior figures has signed a letter requesting a rule change that would stop transgender riders from competing in women’s events.
Sara Symington, the head of Great Britain's olympic cycling programme, is one of 76 who have criticised the Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) current transgender policy in a letter.
If current rules are rescinded it could mean that transgender cyclists like Emily Bridges would no longer be able to compete in women’s racing events.
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Symington and 75 others say trans riders who have reduced their testosterone to below five nanomoles per litre for a year should not be allowed to compete.
In their letter, the group of women is asking for the rule to be revoked as it’s ‘not fair’.
The letter was addressed to UCI president David Lappartient among others, MailOnline reports, and reads: “Recently female athletes in the UK have shown you that they were willing to boycott their own National Championships to get the UCI and British Cycling to hear their concerns about fairness in sport.
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“That is how seriously female athletes are taking this issue and we greatly respect what our sisters were willing to sacrifice to have their voices heard. We are saddened that this should ever have been necessary.
“We believe that rule 13.5.015 does not guarantee female athletes 'fair and meaningful' competition as the UCI has promised.
'We believe that the rule is discriminatory in that it advantages only biological male athletes by providing them greater opportunity to compete and enjoy the rewards of sport at its highest level.
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“We ask that unless the UCI can provide robust scientific evidence that the rule guarantees fairness for female athletes, that the UCI rescind rule 13.5.015 effective immediately and implement eligibility criteria for the female category that is based on female biological characteristics.”
Symington’s signature one the letter can be seen as controversial because it’s also a criticism of British Cycling, due to the fact the UK’s governing body follows the same rules on testosterone set by the UCI.
British Cycling’s chair and chief executive, Frank Slevin and Brian Facer, were also copied into the letter.
Last month, Lappartient and other sport federations held emergency talks about the participation of trans athletes in women's sports and the implementation of stricter rules. Lappartient said current rules on testosterone were 'probably not enough'.
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He added: “It is a very sensitive topic at the moment. The question is, is there a memory from your body from what you were before? Do you have an advantage for this? Do we have a breach of fair competition?
“When you ask this question, it is not to challenge the fact that people want to transition. We fully respect that.
“But I can also really understand from ladies [who] say: ‘OK, we don’t accept this.’
“At the moment, the union of women’s riders are completely against this and challenging the UCI. So we are in between.”
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Topics: Sport
Aisha Nozari