The UCI excludes transgender people from the women’s peloton

Fri Jul 14 2023 4:08 p.m

From July 17, transgender women who have transitioned past puberty will not be allowed to compete in the women’s peloton. The UCI announced this in a press release.

The UCI defends this step by pointing to science, which cannot confirm that at least two years of hormone therapy is sufficient to fully reverse the benefits of testosterone during puberty.

Additionally, responses to hormone therapy vary widely, making it difficult to make statements about the effects of such treatment. Given the current state of science, it is impossible to rule out the possibility that biomechanical factors such as bone shape may provide a lasting advantage for trans women.

La Partente: “We no longer allow this as a precautionary measure”
David Lappartient explains in the press release that the UCI supports and respects transgender people, but it is also their duty to ensure fair sport. “The current state of science cannot guarantee that. That is why we are now saying: As a precautionary measure, we no longer allow trans women to race in the women’s arena,” said the UCI president.

The UCI isn’t the only sports federation that excludes trans women from its women’s categories. Recently, the IAAF Athletics Federation banned trans women from participating in world competitions.