UCI to revisit trans guidelines

[WarningToTheCurious]

The subject of the participation of transgender athletes in international competitions was discussed at the UCI Management Committee meeting. The Management Committee decided to analyse the current situation by reopening consultation with the athletes and National Federations. Members therefore agreed to debate and take an eventual decision at its next meeting, in Glasgow, in August. The UCI's objective remains the same: to take into consideration, in the context of the evolution of our society, the desire of transgender athletes to practise cycling. The UCI also hears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitors, and will take into account all elements, including the evolution of scientific knowledge.

https://www.uci.org/article/the-uci-unveils-calendars-for-several-uci-world-cups-and-reinforces-gender/i4d8ELKoRUfxdinWGCG9J

Hopefully setting a path to following in the footsteps of World Swimming and World Athletics?

'The subject of the participation of transgender athletes in international competitions was discussed at the UCI Management Committee meeting. The Management Committee decided to analyse the current situation by reopening consultation with the athletes and National Federations. Members therefore agreed to debate and take an eventual decision at its next meeting, in Glasgow, in August. The UCI's objective remains the same: to take into consideration, in the context of the evolution of our society, the desire of transgender athletes to practise cycling. The UCI also hears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitors, and will take into account all elements, including the evolution of scientific knowledge.'

Oh, good. Glasgow wims, take note.

The next meeting of the UCI Management Committee will be held from 31 July to 2 August in Glasgow, Scotland (Great Britain), on the occasion of the first edition of the UCI Cycling World Championships.

https://www.uci.org/uci-cycling-world-championships/1u2anKu29AdUHFHsLHqXuU

It's interesting that they're putting the wish of trans gender people to cycle against women before the wish of women to have fair competition.

I’m hoping that this bit will prove important:

The UCI also hears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitors, and will take into account all elements, including the evolution of scientific knowledge.

'Evolution of scientific knowledge' ffs. As arse covering goes it's a bit scant.

I like to think that that's so that they can say 'look, we listened to you' before landing on the conclusion: 'this is what's fair for women'.

I'm hoping there's a silent 'but' in there somewhere. 😄

The evolution of scientific knowledge

give me a fucking break

women are still women and men are still men

Are they going to use Harper's amazing study of exactly one athlete? Will the full study be out by then?

I hope they're going to consider that nothing is actually stopping transgender athletes 'practicing cycling' - if women's need for fairness is prioritised over trans women's need for validation. It's just that theyd have to compete against their 'birth sex'

Is anyone still a member of British cycling? I cancelled my membership because of their stance on trans athletes in women's competition.

They’ve used this line in the past to justify changing the rules to a longer period of maintaining lowered T levels / halving the T levels albeit still allowing TW to race with women - this was from June 2022

This adjustment of the UCI's eligibility rules is based on the state of scientific knowledge published to date in this area and is intended to promote the integration of transgender athletes into competitive sport, while maintaining fairness, equal opportunities and the safety of competitions. The new rules will come into force on 1st July. They may change in the future as scientific knowledge evolves.

https://www.uci.org/pressrelease/uci-management-committee-approves-the-federations-agenda-2030-and-awards-the/2YzsHNKvfDZTytpsYw5e6p

The “evolution of scientific knowledge” line could be a handy get out for now excluding TW from female competition - as in “we’ve found new information we’ve noticed that WS and WA have used scientific evidence for their policies and thought we’d better do the same”

The listening to female athletes bit is new (as long as they realise that Philippa York is not female).

They knew this was going to be an issue instead they stuck their fingers in their ears and had to wait a few months until the batshittery of the decision they made just under a year ago was shown up.
I have incredible respect for authorities like World Rugby who were proactive about this and no respect for authorities who are reactive and inspite of women telling them what will be the consequence of their policy wait until they're hands are forced by a transwoman dominating women

we need to push for there to be women's categories (veteran as well as "regular" and youth) plus open categories where anyone who wants to can enter (incl veteran and youth divisions)

No respect, yes. But at least they are responding which is major. The ball has started rolling. More will follow.

The UCI's objective remains the same: to take into consideration, in the context of the evolution of our society, the desire of transgender athletes to practise cycling

Transgender athletes haven't been prevented from practising cycling though, have they? So if that's the objective, it can be met by requiring all participants to cycle in events which accord with their sex. What they want is not to be included in cycling, they were never excluded; they want to be able to cycle in the class of their choosing.

UCI should call a spade a fucking shovel - transwomen want to cycle in women's races, so we want to find a way to let them. The UCI went looking for how to justify what they'd decided to do, not looking for the evidence for what is safest or fairest to do and implement that.

Yep - nobody is saying trans people can’t “practice cycling”. Only that they should be competing in the correct sex category.

And it should be extended from down to grass roots to ensure fairness at all levels.

Yes. They can practice all they want but they can't be in women's races.

And it should be extended from down to grass roots to ensure fairness at all levels.

Sorry, that should read : And it should be extended from elite down to grass roots to ensure fairness at all levels.

UCI should call a spade a fucking shovel - transwomen want to cycle in women's races, so we want to find a way to let them.

This. I don't believe that the UCI has any interest whatsoever in regulating for fairness in women's cycling and I don't believe the UCI is committed to there being a competitive cycling infrastructure for women at all. I'd like to be proved wrong.

My DH resigned from British Cycling over this matter a couple of years ago. He decided he'd rather go without riding in local time trials than fund an organisation that seemed happy for female cyclists to lose podiums, prizes and places on teams to stunning and brave individuals who have gone through male puberty.

The only people who are being prevented from competing is women like Hannah Arensman who retired at age 24 (so not exactly close to the end of her career in other circumstances) because of the impossibility of winning against biological men