Sharron, an ex-Olympic swimmer Sharron has described the benefits of transgender women competing in female sports as being likened to drug cheats.
British silver medalist, the British Silver Medalist, contrasted sports governing boards”millions’ spent trying to identify athletes doping and allowing biological men to compete in female competitions.
These comments were made by Emily Bridges (transathlete), who is preparing to face Dame Laura Kenny, a five-time Olympic gold medalist in the National Omnium Championships.
There has been some backlash against Miss Bridges being included in the Great Britain Academy as Miss Bridges was a male rider who raced in the men’s events last month.
Miss Bridges began hormone therapy in the last year, and she is now eligible for British Cycling’s women’s competition. However, her British Cycling profile still lists Miss Bridges as’male.
She was criticized for her inclusion at Saturday’s event by Ms Davies (an ex-Olympian who won silver in 400-meter medley at Moscow Olympics 1980).
Ms. Davies has called for protection of women-only sports as well as creation of an “open” category that includes trans athletes. She says she supports anyone who is able to identify with the other sex.
However, she claims Miss Bridges and the other ex-male athletes who compete against women have an “unfair advantage”.
Ms Davies told GB News: ‘We can have inclusion and fairness, we just have to put fairness first.
“If you take a look at Olympic sports (which includes cycling), you will see a 10-20, even 30-percent difference in weight-lifting. This is incredibly significant and any male who has experienced puberty won’t be able mitigate against those benefits.
“At the moment, we spend millions trying and spot people with the tiniest advantage through taking drugs so they cheat. But yet, women are expected to make the transition so that men can come to their sports without having to give up their trophies or wins. This just seems so unfair.
Emily Bridges, Transathlete (pictured), 21, is preparing to face five-time Olympic Champion Dame Laura Kenny during the National Omnium Championships at Derby.
Sharron, an ex-Olympic swimmer Sharron has described the positives of being trans in female sport as compared to those gained from drug cheating
Miss Bridges started hormone therapy last summer and is now eligible under British Cycling’s policy to compete as an adult woman. However, she’s still listed as a’male’ in her British Cycling profile.
Miss Bridges being allowed to ride in women’s events was heavily criticized.
Although he was a national junior champion, this former cyclist is now allowed to race in Saturday’s Ominumn female event.
It is because Miss Bridges, who has undergone hormone therapy for one year, has now decreased her testosterone to what British Cycling requires.
British Cycling still lists Miss Bridges under her gender section, even though she is set to participate in Saturday’s women’s event.
But her participation at the event isn’t guaranteed. On Friday, the UCI will decide if Miss Bridges is eligible.
If her testosterone levels are below 5 nanomoles/litre, and she has been a member of the UCI Trans Participation Guidelines, then she can compete.
Miss Bridges may be allowed to represent Wales in the Commonwealth Games at Birmingham this summer if given permission.
It is possible that she may be chosen for Team GB, which will take place in Paris at the Olympics 2024. She could compete in the same line-up of team pursuit as Dame Laura.
Ms. Davies has asked for former and current athletes to voice their concerns in the row. She has also been approached by women cyclists concerned about the possible consequences of speaking up against former sports stars.
“British Cycling should be ashamed,” she stated. “I’ve had quite a few girls call me very upset on the phone. They are disappointed and frustrated.
“They’re all about inclusion, but not losing fairness or opportunities for biological women.
I can’t imagine how sexual discrimination could be prevented in this case. Male puberty advantages are not affected by testosterone being reduced.
Emily still has an unfair advantage. Last year, she competed well with the men’s squad while decreasing testosterone.
“This is wrong. People must call it out.
According to a reliable source, “Everyone is afraid of saying anything because they fear retribution.”
Here Miss Bridges is pictured in August 2018. She set a new national junior male record of 25 miles. The time she set at 47min 27sec was two minutes quicker than Hayley Simmonds’ female senior record. Shortly before coming out in 2020 as a transgender female, she was removed from the GB Academy.
Emily Bridges (21 years old) will be competing against five-time Olympic gold medalist Dame Laura Kenny (pictured left with Jason) at the National Omnium Championships. They take place in Derby, Saturday
Ms. Davies called on more former and present athletes to stand up in the row. She was pictured with her recent tweet. A number of female cyclists have contacted Davies who is afraid of what the implications will be if they speak out against ex-male sports stars being included.
Miss Bridges broke the national junior men’s record by running over 25 miles for 2018.
The time she took was 47min 27sec, more than 2 minutes quicker than Hayley SIMMONS’ female senior record.
Shortly before coming out in 2020 as a transgender person, she was kicked from the GB Academy.
She declared herself transgender in an article for Sky Sports, on Coming Out Day.
In October 2020, she wrote: “I’m going be part of research into how a medical change affects athletic performance.”
“This will be the first ever time an international, elite-level athlete does this,” he said. It will provide valuable research.
“I’m really interested in demonstrating the impact hormone replacement therapy has upon the body and how it vastly improves athletic performance in numerous ways.
Miss Bridges competed as a man during this period, and won the points race at the British Universities Championships last month as well as bronze for the men’s team pursuit.
Miss Bridges stated that her hormone treatments had been unsuccessful and she was now trying to get stronger. [relative to others]However, the engine is much smaller.
She did however announce her desire to be back at the “top level” of the sport. ‘I definitely want to return to the top level because being able to compete is really important to me – I just love it,’ she told Cycling Weekly in May last year.
“In the meantime I’m trying to get back in love.
Although she is not currently a member the British women’s track endurance team, her performance could make it possible for her to be selected in the future Olympics. She would also be eligible according to the current rules.
British Cycling’s transgender policy was updated in January. It is based on objective scientific research and was designed to ensure fairness and safety for all.
According to the report, testosterone levels are still the main method for determining which males and females can compete.
After coming out as transgender, she continued competing as a man, and won the points race at the British Universities Championships last month. She also took bronze in the men’s team pursuit.
But Ross Tucker, of the Real Science of Sport podcast, said: ‘There is no good evidence that suppressing testosterone removes male advantage because the biology that is created by testosterone in males is not undone – performance advantages are likely to persist too.’
Fiona McAnena from Fair Play For Women said: “British Cycling says they want to increase female participation. Why would anyone believe it’s good to add males at female events?”
Sandy Bridges, her mother, tweeted that Miss Bridges might be under police protection in Derby Saturday.
“That my child must be on an operation plan by the police to take part in a race bike in the UK.
Neah Evans, Tokyo 2020 silver medalist will be taking part.
British Cycling stated in a statement that they believe the new policy is based on current evidence. However, we recognize that additional research will be needed.