Transgender Athlete Sweeps Women's Cycling Competition... "Is This Okay?"

Team Including Transgender Athletes Ranks 1st to 3rd
Female Cyclists Also Protest

Controversy is growing as teams with transgender athletes took all top three positions in a women's cycling competition held in the United States.

On the 25th (local time), Fox News reported on the results of the Marymoor Grand Prix held at a cycling-only venue in Redmond, near Seattle, Washington. At least three transgender athletes participated in the elite women's two-person relay race, each representing different teams.

According to the results released by the organizers, the teams that placed first through third all included transgender athletes. Their names are Jordan Losrop, Jenna Ringwood, and Eva Lin. All were born male with XY chromosomes but later identified as female after undergoing hormone replacement therapy, classifying them as 'MTF transgender' athletes.

It is generally known that even if hormone replacement therapy is administered after puberty, the physical development that occurred before cannot be reversed.

The players indicated by the red arrows are transgender athletes who participated in the Merrimour Grand Prix. [Image source=Capture from X]

According to the media, some spectators who watched the race in person expressed discomfort with the physiques of these athletes. Some pointed out that the physiques of these XY chromosome athletes were noticeably more robust than those of other female competitors. One spectator told Fox News, "I don't know who would think this situation is acceptable."

Voices of unfairness also emerged among female cyclists. One female cyclist posted a photo of the race winners on social media and commented, "Teams composed of one man and one woman took first, second, and third place in a women's race," questioning, "I wonder why they were able to outperform teams that were 100% female."

An activist affiliated with a women's organization told Fox News, "Male cyclists accelerate 20% faster and have 30% more muscle strength than women of similar weight," emphasizing, "This means fair competition is impossible. This madness must stop."

Recently, international cycling organizations have begun establishing regulations to partially restrict transgender athletes' participation in competitions. The International Cycling Union (UCI) banned transgender athletes who transitioned after puberty from participating in international competitions starting last year.

The Michigan Cycling Federation also introduced regulations related to transgender athletes in January. According to these rules, transgender athletes must undergo a 'fairness assessment' by medical professionals and maintain testosterone (male hormone) levels below a certain threshold.

The controversy over transgender athletes who transitioned from male to female competing in women's events is not new. In 2022, transgender swimmer Lia Thomas competed and won in the women's freestyle event at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Thomas is reported not to have undergone male genital removal surgery.