Belgian court finds exclusion of transgender cyclist to be discriminatory

Belgian court finds exclusion of transgender cyclist to be discriminatory

Brussels Court Rules Against Discriminatory Cycling Regulation for Trans Women

A court in Brussels has ruled that the exclusion of a transgender female cyclist from women’s competitions was discriminatory and lacked scientific justification. The case was brought against an international cycling federation and the Belgian national body, challenging a 2023 rule that mandated trans women to have transitioned before the age of 12 in order to compete. This led to the revocation of the cyclist’s licence, reports 24brussels.

The court characterized the rule as disproportionate and impracticable, effectively excluding almost all trans women from competition. Moreover, it highlighted that the cycling federation’s own medical director had acknowledged a deficit in scientific evidence that trans women maintain performance advantages after transitioning.

Compensation

The ruling nullifies the contentious regulation and requires the federation to provide compensation to the athlete involved. Although the ruling is immediately enforceable, the federation is contemplating an appeal.

Liesbet Stevens from Belgium’s Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, which supported the case, expressed strong approval of the court’s decision as a pivotal advancement for the inclusion of trans individuals in sports.

“The current approach lacks scientific rigour and fails to respect individual rights”

Stevens remarked, “This case is about more than just one athlete. It’s about ensuring that trans women are not excluded from women’s competitions on the basis of prejudice or unfounded assumptions. The current approach lacks scientific rigour and fails to respect individual rights. The Institute will continue to defend equal and non-discriminatory access to sport for all.”

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