"Your women's sports policy is neither fair nor inclusive for females" - Fans react to USA Cycling's new trans athlete participation policy

USA Cycling has established new rules regarding the participation of trans athletes in cycling. The revised policies align with the standards set by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

As per Cyclingweekly.com, USA Cycling has divided its policies into two categories, including the pro and the novice. The transgender athletes competing in the pro have to go through an 'elite fairness evaluation application,' which will be reviewed by a medical panel.

The application requires a trans athlete to have maintained a testosterone level below 2.5 nmol/L for at least 24 months and the application process is to be completed 90 days prior to the competition.

The trans athletes competing in the novice category are required to complete a self-verification application that has to be completed 30 days before the competition.

The USA Cycling claims that the new rules were unveiled to maintain fairness and inclusion. However, the cycling fraternity has raised concerns which they expressed on social media.

One user tweeted:

"You failed on both counts. Your women's sports policy is neither fair nor inclusive for females. Men don't belong in women's sports," they continued.

Another fan criticized USA Cycling, expressing that no male athlete becomes a female irrespective of the testosterone level.

"I don’t understand how they can claim to be following the latest science and then use 24 months of T below 2.5 nmol/l as the threshold. No science shows that males become females at any T level."

Here are more reactions from the cycling fraternity criticizing the news policies relating to the inclusion of trans athletes participation:

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The Union Cycliste Internationale banned trans athletes from competing in the women's category

The UCI banned transgender athletes from competing in the women's category.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), imposed a ban on transgender athletes from competing in the women's category on July 14, 2023.

The ban was enforced on transgender female athletes, who transitioned after male puberty, from competing in the women's category. As per UCI President David Lappartient (h/t Cyclingnews.com), it was done to maintain equal and fair opportunities for all athletes. Transgender female athletes are allowed to compete in the male/open category without any restrictions.

The governing body for cycling banned trans athletes competing in the women's category from all forms of cycling, including mountain biking, cyclocross, track, indoor cycling, road cycling, BMX, and para-cycling.The UCI's decision came after American transgender cyclist, Austin Killips, won the Tour of the Gila.

In 2020, The UCI rules allowed transgender athletes to compete in the women's category if they maintained a maximum plasma testosterone level of 5 nanomoles per liter for a year. It was revised to 2.5 nanomoles per liter for 24 months in 2022 (h/t BBC).