Cycling chiefs to hold talks on trans athletes competing in races

Cycling chiefs will hold emergency talks with other major sports in a bid to impose stricter rules on transgender athletes competing in women’s events following the Emily Bridges controversy.

The world governing body of cycling, the UCI, blocked trans rider Bridges from racing against Laura Kenny in tomorrow’s National Omnium Championships, despite British Cycling clearing the 21-year-old to take part as she had lowered her testosterone to the required level.

Bridges’ case is now being reviewed by an expert panel, who have six weeks to decide on her eligibility to compete in women’s races.

Unless the UCI change their transgender guidelines in that time, it is likely the Welsh cyclist will eventually have to be cleared to ride - and Sportsmail understands British Cycling are already considering selecting her in future national teams.

However, UCI president David Lappartient admits their current policy, which allow trans athletes to entre women’s events if there testosterone levels are below five nanomoles per litre for 12 months, is ‘not enough’.

He says their rules are widely opposed by elite women riders and wants to discuss updating them with other Olympics sports, including athletics and swimming.

‘We can’t solve this alone,’ Lappartient told the BBC. ‘We have to work together. There is a question on the table and we can’t just close our eyes about what is happening.

‘This is something we have to do in the next months. This is something we must put on the agenda of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations.’

World Athletics president Lord Coe warned last week that the ‘integrity and future of women’s sport is very fragile’, while swimming’s world governing body, FINA, are to vote on a new policy in