British Cycling 's decision to suspend its policy allowing transgender and non-binary athletes continues to have an impact after a key sponsor withdrew funding for the 2022 CiCLE Classic.
Peter Stanton said he would be "letting down" friends and colleagues in the transgender community if he did not take a stand against those actions. The change attracted further attention after transitioned athlete Emily Bridges— a former junior men's star—was prevented from competing in the British Omnium Championships despite lowering her testosterone to the necessary levels.
The withdrawal of funding meant the women’s CiCLE Classic and junior men's edition of the race were at risk of being cancelled unless they recovered the £15,000 shortfall. However, organisers confirmed on Wednesday the June 19 events will go ahead as planned following a "phenomenal response" to their urge for help.
Stanton is described as being instrumental to the creation of the women's CiCLE Classic, which form part of the British Cycling Women’s National Road Series. He criticised the decision to pause the policy pending a full review, temporarily putting several races at the Leicestershire event in peril.
"I am desperately saddened by the Emily Bridges case and the actions that it has prompted me to take," he said. "The transgender policy adopted by British Cycling had been the result of a full consultation process and was believed to have been working well until last week when it was suspended without any further consultation.
"Whilst fully supportive of women’s sport, I also have many friends and colleagues within the transgender community whom I feel that I would be letting down if I did not make a stand to show my support for their rights. This is not the first case of a transgender rider competing under UCI rules, or even as part of an official UCI team, and to arbitrarily change that position based on one individual case, I find totally unacceptable."
Bridges was prevented from taking part in the Omnium Championships earlier this month because she was still licensed to compete as a man. Bridges has since said she feels she's been “relentlessly harassed and demonised” by the media.
Olympic gold medallist Katie Archibald is a former winner of the women's CiCLE Classic in Melton-Mowbray, while 20-year-old Abi Smith is the reigning champion. With new sponsorship in place, others will have the chance to boost their own cycling careers in this year's race.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently posed doubt that "biological men should be competing in female sporting events." British Cycling has said the review process will give it time to confer with stakeholders in its effort to "provide all within our sport with the clarity and understanding they deserve."
