Female transgender athletes who transitioned after male puberty will no longer be able to compete in women91裸聊视频檚 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 women91裸聊视频檚 events.
came after American rider Austin Killips became the first openly transgender woman to win an official cycling event in May.
91裸聊视频淔rom now on, female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women91裸聊视频檚 events on the UCI international calendar 91裸聊视频� in all categories 91裸聊视频� in the various disciplines,91裸聊视频� the international federation said in a statement.
The UCI said the ban, starting on Monday, was necessary to 91裸聊视频渆nsure equal opportunities.91裸聊视频�
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 women91裸聊视频檚 events.
The UCI said Friday it 91裸聊视频渉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.91裸聊视频�
It also noted the difficulty to 91裸聊视频渄raw precise conclusions about the effects91裸聊视频� of gender-confirming hormone therapy.
91裸聊视频淕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,91裸聊视频� the UCI added.
In May, the UCI 91裸聊视频� led by its French president David Lappartient, an International Olympic Committee member 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� Bastille Day in France 91裸聊视频� during a key mountains stage in the Tour de France.
Despite the ban, Lappartient said 91裸聊视频渢he UCI would like to reaffirm that cycling 91裸聊视频� as a competitive sport, leisure activity or means of transport 91裸聊视频� is open to everyone, including transgender people, whom we encourage like everyone else to take part in our sport.91裸聊视频�
The UCI said its men91裸聊视频檚 category will be renamed 91裸聊视频淢en/Open91裸聊视频� at international Masters events 91裸聊视频� which are below elite level for riders aged at least 30 91裸聊视频� adding that 91裸聊视频渁ny athlete who does not meet the conditions for participation in women91裸聊视频檚 events will be admitted without restriction.91裸聊视频�
Lappartient insisted the UCI 91裸聊视频渇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.91裸聊视频�
The UCI follows British Cycling in approving a in May, which included plans to split competitive races into 91裸聊视频渙pen91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渇emale91裸聊视频� 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.
Cycling91裸聊视频檚 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 women91裸聊视频檚 over-87-kilogram class.
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