Tribunal won't put women's pursuit track cycling team in world championship

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal won't order Cycling Canada to enter a women's pursuit team in October's world track championship, but left the door open for a hearing to determine whether there's been discrimination.

Cycling Canada intends to enter a men's pursuit team in the world championship in Shanghai, which is the first qualifier for countries for the 2028 Olympic Games, but not a women's team.

Five women took their case for world championship inclusion of a pursuit team to Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal on Aug. 18 after their appeal was denied by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada.

Fiona Majendie, Skyler Goudswaard, Jenna Nestman, Lily Plante and Justine Thomas alleged Cycling Canada discriminated against them on the basis of sex and asked for an expedited interim order requiring the organization to enter a women's pursuit team in Shanghai. The deadline to enter is Monday.

The Tribunal said in its decision Friday that there wasn't time for an expedited hearing and decision in a 34-day window.

It did, however, keep the discrimination question alive. The Tribunal agreed to expedite a case management conference call to determine whether a hearing should be held.

"Shanghai was always a race against the clock," said Emir Crowne, who represented the women, in a statement Friday.

"The important thing is that the Human Rights Tribunal — to its credit — has moved quickly enough to keep the 2027 Olympic pathway open. That women in Canadian sport still have to fight this hard for equal opportunity in 2026 is shocking."

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The Tribunal directed the women and Cycling Canada to try mediation, but that was unsuccessful Sept. 10.

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