Trans cyclist will be allowed in Commonwealth Games

[flyingbuttress43]

www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2022/03/22/exclusive-commonwealth-games-2022-allow-trans-women-cyclists/

The Daily Telegraph exclusive reports today that Commonwealth Games chiefs have agreed on new gender rules, which could pave the way for a trans woman to race for a female cycling medal.

The DT understands a potential contender, who previously competed in male categories is in serious contention to be picked. The cyclist has yet to formally confirm they want to compete in Birmingham.

The DT is now in full campaign mode re the trans in sport issue.

The sports section today has the following double page spread

www.telegraph.co.uk/athletics/2022/03/22/sport-must-face-reality-fairness-inclusion-cannot-co-exist/
Ross Tucker

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2022/03/22/transgender-athletes-womens-competition-sport-by-sport-guide/
By Ben Rumsby - Sports investigataions reporter

www.telegraph.co.uk/swimming/2022/03/21/terror-labelled-transphobic-now-tops-inclination-protect-womens/
Oliver Brown Chief Sports Correspondent

Plus an article "Difficult for the science to find level playing field for all"
Tom Cary Senior sports corresondent (no online link)

In the main paper
www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2022/03/22/every-win-lia-thomas-loss-women-sport/
Allison Pearson

• Banner head on main paper "Trans sport insanity"

Just saw this and that guidelines say testosterone must be

It doesn't make sense to anyone @AgathaOvercome - probably because it is totally nonsensical!

[quote SweatyChamoisPad]@DERFDogmaExlusionary doubt it. BH has done a lot for women’s cycling as a race organiser. He also has no vote on the board or national council since BC were forced to split president and chair roles by UK Sport. He now has a figurehead position (which he does a great job at) but very little power where it matters. I suspect several of the board wouldn’t be happy with the way things are going, but feel they are stuck on this runaway trans gravy train that has no brakes. In the main I think it was driven by Pippa York and a couple of wannabe woke members of the comms team at the time, driven in turn by pro trans media like Ned Boulting and the like. RF didn’t leave of his own volition - there are a few people whose faces no longer fit with the new CEO who is from Rugby, and apparently he’s bringing all his mates in.[/quote]
Thanks @SweatyChamoisPad

The politics make my mind spin. So board members don't like it and the director who was to field questions about trans inclusion has left British cycling? it doesn't sound like they're happy!

It's mind boggling that this decision has happened.

Though the £1million per Olympic win ch ching money talks could be a big reason as PPs have said.

Off to look up who Pippa York is

Pippa York competed as Robert Miller and had a very successful cycling career, including being king of the mountains in the Tour de France.

Looking back at cycling history. In 1984 when Robert Millar was King of the Mountains in the Tour de France, there was no consistent women's Tour (though various short versions had sometimes been run since 1955) and it would be another 5 years before both the women's Tour de France and the women's Giro d'Italia came into being. They were of course dogged with funding crises and sexist comments throughout. This was about the time I started competing in my own sport.

The absolute insult of this grabbing of women's opportunities and this apparent belief that what would make women's sport really good and worthwhile is more males in it.

Robert Millar was a champion male cyclist - king of the mountains. Presumably, transitioning made them more comfortable and created retirement opportunities

[quote AgathaOvercome]Just saw this and that guidelines say testosterone must be

The biggest upset from this weekend's racing will be if Anna Morris from Team Wales is beaten by Bridges. Anna is a junior doctor and has taken a break from her career to focus on qualifying for this year's Commonwealth Games. If Bridges qualifies for the games it'll be for Team Wales and there are limited spots. I could see the Welsh Cycling selection panel saying they need more than one result from Bridges to make a selection but I could then see Anna being bumped out of contention altogether if Bridges gets better results this weekend. I mean how can the panel justify sending Anna when there is a someone faster? This is really horrible and is having consequences for women's careers whether sporting or otherwise. Plus I noticed quite a few juniors on the start list, I think that's 16-18yrs old. This really isn't fair.

mobile.twitter.com/mara_yamauchi/status/1508868336087711752/photo/1

@Matzeeo

The biggest upset from this weekend's racing will be if Anna Morris from Team Wales is beaten by Bridges. Anna is a junior doctor and has taken a break from her career to focus on qualifying for this year's Commonwealth Games. If Bridges qualifies for the games it'll be for Team Wales and there are limited spots. I could see the Welsh Cycling selection panel saying they need more than one result from Bridges to make a selection but I could then see Anna being bumped out of contention altogether if Bridges gets better results this weekend. I mean how can the panel justify sending Anna when there is a someone faster? This is really horrible and is having consequences for women's careers whether sporting or otherwise. Plus I noticed quite a few juniors on the start list, I think that's 16-18yrs old. This really isn't fair.

The OU GCRN had a meeting with a presentation by Cathy Devine to discuss Devine's paper ‘Female Sports Participation, Gender Identity and the British 2010 Equality Act’.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17511321.2021.1993982?

There was some speculation in the meeting about whether it would be politically unwise to break Kenny's record at the upcoming event although it's well within Bridges' capacity to do so…

Turns out Bridges will have another race to use as qualifying for the Commonwealth Games. They've been entered into the UCI 'nations cup' event in April. The whole world will see that one
www.uci.org/race-hub/2022-uci-track-nations-cup-glasgow/5Lcm4cQiB2J8EOtfIKSTCt

[quote Rodedooda]mobile.twitter.com/mara_yamauchi/status/1508868336087711752/photo/1[/quote]
I'm expecting that to be edited at the speed of light once British Cycling notices…

@EmbarrassingHadrosaurus ah, this weekend might just be the warm up

I’m feeling really sorry for the other girls getting stuck in the middle of all the publicity, let alone having to race Emily. As said above, the Juniors will have taken time out of studying for their exams to race, imagine getting to a race venue and finding press and protestors of both sides outside.

Will Bridges use the female changing rooms like Thomas did? Do British Cycling have a policy on this?

They do have a policy on changing rooms. 5 years ago the policy stated that changing rooms had to be single sex. Now, post training by Gendered Intelligence that section has been removed.

@FemaleAndLearning

Will Bridges use the female changing rooms like Thomas did? Do British Cycling have a policy on this?

The old transgender policy said trans people could choose the changing room they wanted to use - nothing about what anyone else in there might think. They've removed it in the latest policy, it says nothing about changing rooms.

I believe Rachel McKinnon used the female changing rooms when RM competes at the Master competition in Manchester 2019

Well that pisses me off even more, what age is the youth category also racing that day? I think Bridges is in the under 23s. They have a safeguarding person.www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/254406/National-Omnium-Championships--Derby-GP--Velospeed-Coaching

There was a news story yesterday where a young woman died after receiving an injury playing rugby.

There was little detail and NO suggestion that there was anyone on the pitch who had a physical advantage.

Sports can be dangerous - even cycling has fatalities. Why on earth put one group at a severe disadvantage (muscle and size - let alone heart and lungs) - a group that is separate from the ‘default’ (ie men) for safety (and dignity) reasons.

If this goes ahead, we need to stage a protest in Birmingham, who's up for it?

There was some speculation in the meeting about whether it would be politically unwise to break Kenny's record at the upcoming event although it's well within Bridges' capacity to do so…

The fact that Laura Kenny is still currently competing is definitely a problem for EB. Laura is a national hero and loved by the British public so the optics of EB beating her would be appalling.

@KittenKong

There was a news story yesterday where a young woman died after receiving an injury playing rugby.

There was little detail and NO suggestion that there was anyone on the pitch who had a physical advantage.

Sports can be dangerous - even cycling has fatalities. Why on earth put one group at a severe disadvantage (muscle and size - let alone heart and lungs) - a group that is separate from the ‘default’ (ie men) for safety (and dignity) reasons.

Was that Bristol Uni? I thought I'd read that she'd developed an infection in hospital but I can't see that detail now so I don't know if I'm wrong or if it's been withdrawn ahead of any enquiries.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-60905063

@Signalbox

There was some speculation in the meeting about whether it would be politically unwise to break Kenny's record at the upcoming event although it's well within Bridges' capacity to do so…

The fact that Laura Kenny is still currently competing is definitely a problem for EB. Laura is a national hero and loved by the British public so the optics of EB beating her would be appalling.

Laura Kenny’s husband, Jason, is now a coach for the Sprint Cycling teams. I do hope he has the balls to speak up, not just to support his wife, but to support all the other women on the UK Cycling circuits. Our female cyclists have been amazing athletes and role models for a good few years now, it would be a national disgrace if we allowed all that hard work to be ignored and dismissed to pander to a cheat.

Two years to Paris, if this nonsense isn’t stopped now then how many more failing male athletes will be encouraged to swallow the hormonal kool aid and wreck women’s sport for all time.

I do hope he has the balls to speak up, not just to support his wife, but to support all the other women on the UK Cycling circuits.

It would be financially ruinous for the Kennys to go against British Cycling who are fully supportive of Bridges.

Look what happened to the coaching career of Sharron Davies' father when he spoke up about doping and unfairness.