A Transgender cyclist is calling foul after he was disqualified from competition and stripped of a silver medal in unclear circumstances.
Leia Genis competed in the Womenâs division of USA Cycling.
The 25-year-old cyclist explained that he was told his silver place on the âIP podium was to be revoked on account of my trans identityâ by a USA Cycling Official over the weekend, Genis said in an Instagram post.
Genis is also barred from further competition at the 2022 Junior & Elite Track National Championships, according to Timecast.
Genis was removed from USA Cyclingâs listing of winners for previous events at the National Championships.
The organization didnât explain why it edited Genis out from its website after previously listing him as the second-place winner of the Elite Individual Pursuit competition.
Genis announced that he had been barred from competition and disqualified from his silver medal in an Instagram post.
Itâs not clear what led USA Cycling to disqualify Genis from competition. The cyclist criticized the decision as discriminatory.
âThe transphobia is so blatant itâs almost laughable,â Genis said of the cycling organizationâs decision.
Womenâs sporting leagues that permit Transgender participation often require Transgender athletes to provide medical information related to their transition, such as tests indicating their testosterone levels.
An organization that advocates for the competitive integrity of Womenâs Sports by opposing Transgender participation is pointing to USA Cyclingâs decision as the right one, after pointing out that the organization had edited its Race results.
âAlthough USA Cycling and UCI made the correct decision to revoke the silver medal from the male cyclist in the Womenâs Race due to rule violations, the integrity of the event had already been extinguished,â said the Independent Council on Womenâs Sports in a statement provided to the Washington Times.
âThe disruptive course of events over the past week have distracted all riders at this elite national competition.â
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
