Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges says she was 'harassed and demonised' after exclusion from national championships

By Matias Grez, CNN

Updated 0841 GMT (1641 HKT) April 5, 2022

Emily Bridges says she has been «harassed and demonised» by the media.

(CNN)A transgender cyclist says she has been «harassed and demonised» by the media after the UCI, world cycling's governing body, ruled she couldn't compete at the National Omnium Championships in the United Kingdom over the weekend.

Emily Bridges, who was set to race against British Olympic stars such as Laura Kenny in the event, said she found out through British Cycling on Wednesday that the UCI had ruled she was ineligible.The 21-year-old said in a statement she has been in contact with British Cycling and the UCI for the past six months ahead of what was supposed to be her first race in a women's event.«In that time, I have provided both British Cycling and the UCI with medical evidence that I meet the eligibility criteria for transgender female cyclists, including that my testosterone limit has been far below the limit prescribed by the regulations for the last 12 months,» Bridges said in her statement, which was posted by LGBTQIA+ cycling group PRiDE OUT.Oklahoma becomes fourth state to enact anti-trans sports ban this yearAs of March 1 2020, UCI regulations state that transgender women must reduce their testosterone levels to below 5 nmol/L for at least 12 months in order to compete in women's events.Read MoreThe UCI did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment. CNN has reached out to Bridges directly but is yet to hear back.However, the Guardian reported the UCI prevented BRIDGES from competing because it said she was still registered as a male cyclist and therefore ineligible to compete as a female until her male UCI identification expired.«I am an athlete, and I just