Prime Minister Boris Johnson said transgender women should not be allowed to compete in women's sports. The case of cyclist Emily Bridges has once against thrust the issue of transgender athletes - centred around the balance of inclusion, sporting fairness and safety in women's sport - into the spotlight.
The 21-year-old was cleared to race against Dame Laura Kenny in last week's National Omnium Championships. Bridges was cleared to compete by British Cycling after reducing her testosterone to the required levels but she was then blocked by the UCI, whose guidelines allow them six weeks to convene an expert panel to review a case.
In the States, transgender swimmer Lia Thomas won a NCAA 500m freestyle title and faced a barrage of criticism, with some claiming her victory was unfair on her opponents. "I don't think biological males should be competing in female sporting events. Maybe that's a controversial thing to say, but it just seems to me to be sensible,” the Prime Minister said when voicing his opinion on the subject.
