USA Cycling introduced a new policy on Thursday regarding transgender athletes, according to Cycling Weekly.
The revised Transgender Athlete Participation Policy aligns itself with the standards set by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for international competition and establishes new categories for transgender athletes competing at the domestic level, according to USA Cycling. At UCI sanctioned events, male athletes who transitioned after puberty as of July 17, 2023, will not be allowed to compete in the women’s category, and at domestic events, a two-tiered system will be created. (RELATED: California’s LGBTQ Caucus Solicited Over $1 Million For Activist Group Boosting Their Legislation)
“The revision of our Transgender Participation Policy was a complex process guided by several factors. Foremost was the direction of our Board of Directors, who asked us to prioritize the balance between fairness and inclusion,” USA Cycling CEO Brendan Quirk said, according to Cycling Weekly.
Canadian cyclist Rachel McKinnon poses for a photograph before competing against the USA’s Dawn Orwick in their F35-39 Sprint Final during the 2019 UCI Track Cycling World Masters Championship in Manchester on October 19, 2019. – (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
At the pro level, male athletes who identify as women will undergo an “elite athlete fairness evaluation application” and must show that their testosterone levels are below a certain blood concentration for at least two years, according to the policy. Those who are competing at the novice levels must complete a self-identity verification request that will be reviewed by the USA Cycling Technical Director.
“Our work encompassed a study of the UCI’s most recent review of the latest scientific literature, an assessment of the U.S. legal environment and similar policies from other sports organizations, and outreach to our athletes, club and team managers, and event organizers, according to the policy. As U.S. law and scientific findings evolve, we will use this as an opportunity to do further review and revisions of this policy as needed,” Quirk said, according to Cycling Weekly.
Male athletes who identify as women have dominated cycling races around the world.
Rachel McKinnon, a male, set the world record for women’s cycling at the 2019 Masters Track Cycling World Championships in the women’s 35-39 age category in Manchester, England. Tiffany Thomas, also a male, won a New York City amateur female race in March.
USA Cycling did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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