UCI bans transgender women from competing in elite international races
The UCI has followed other sports and banned transgender women from competing in women's category races in international competition, including the upcoming UCI World Championships.
Since women are not allowed to compete in elite men's fields in international competition, the ban effectively excludes all transgender women licensed as female from competing at all in UCI-sanctioned events.
Organisers of the World Championships in Glasgow noted the discrepancy between British Cycling's policy on transgender participation and the UCI's in the board of directors' May meeting.
An action item from the meeting minutes stated, "The Chair to write on behalf of the Board to the UCI President, to note concerns about the lack of alignment on Transgender and Non-Binary participation and the potential impact on the Championships. This correspondence will be copied to the Chair of British Cycling."
Requests for comments sent to the organisers of the Glasgow Worlds from Cyclingnews went unanswered.
The UCI's ban will begin from July 17, with the UCI claiming it was “necessary to take this measure to protect the female class and ensure equal opportunities.” However, the UCI also admit that the rules may change in the future as scientific knowledge evolves.
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The UCI specified that “female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women's events on the UCI International Calendar – in all categories – in the various disciplines.”
For international Masters events such as Gran Fondo, Gravel and the Master World Championships, the UCI said the Men’s category will be renamed Men/Open, and any athlete who does not meet the conditions for participation in women's events will be admitted without restriction.
The UCI said the Management Committee had 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.
In an exclusive interview with Cyclingnews in May 2023, David Lappartient said, “Are we able, today, to guarantee fair competition? I can’t answer ‘no,’ but I can’t answer ‘yes’.”
In its statement on the ban, the UCI said that “given 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.”
"The UCI would like to reaffirm that cycling – as a competitive sport, leisure activity or means of transport – is open to everyone, including transgender people, whom we encourage like everyone else to take part in our sport,”
UCI President David Lappartient said in a statement issued just as the Tour de France mountain stage began.
“I would also like to reaffirm that the UCI fully 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. It is this imperative that led the UCI to conclude that, given the current state of scientific knowledge does not guarantee such equality of opportunity between transgender female athletes and cisgender female participants, it was not possible, as a precautionary measure, to authorise the former to race in the female categories."
The UCI decided to change its rules during an extraordinary UCI Management Committee meeting held on 5 July after a seminar on transgender athlete participation was held on June 21.
The UCI also cited a document written by their Medical Director Xavier Bigard. This can be found here: The current knowledge on the effects of gender-affirming treatment on markers of performance in transgender female cyclists", updated May 2023.
