Trans cyclist urges officials to let her race as a female
Saints star strong enough to take the flak
EMILY BRIDGES has broken her silence on the transgender row that has rocked cycling — pleading with the sport’s rule-makers to let her race in women’s events. The trans rider, 21, was due to ride as a female for the first time at today’s National Omnium Championships, where she would have faced five-time Olympic champion Laura Kenny. But despite being cleared to race by British Cycling, Bridges was blocked on Wednesday by cycling’s world governing body, the UCI, who are convening a panel to review her case. In an emotional statement, the Welsh cyclist said: ‘For the last six months, I have been in contact with British Cycling and the UCI over the criteria I’d need to meet as a transgender woman in order to race in the female category at the National Omnium Championships. ‘I have provided British Cycling and UCI with medical evidence that I meet eligibility criteria for transgender female cyclists, including that my testosterone level has been so far below the limit prescribed by the regulations for the last 12 months. ‘Two days before I was due to compete, British Cycling announced that the UCI had given guidance that I wasn’t eligible to participate in the National Omnium Championships. I still have little clarity around their finding of my ineligibility. I am an athlete and I just want to race competitively again. No one should have to choose between being who they are and the sport that they love. I am in contact with British Cycling and UCI requesting clarity and I hope that they will reconsider their decision. ‘I’ve had to deactivate my social media to prevent targeted abuse. This is despite the fact I’ve not yet raced in the female category. I have been judged purely because I am trans.’ The UCI and British Cycling require riders to have had testosterone levels below five nanomoles per litre for a 12-month period. But the UCI also allow themselves an extra six weeks to review individual cases. Bridges was a national junior champion as a male rider and was part of British Cycling’s senior academy until 2020. She began hormone therapy last year but continued to compete as a male, winning the points race at February’s British Universities’ Championships. Despite being included on the provisional list, she was yesterday left out of Great Britain’s final squad for this month’s Track Nations Cup.
WHen eddie Jones brought in George Furbank for england’s Six nations finale with France, the criticism was as immediate as it was strong.
Jones’s decision to switch Freddie Steward to the wing and play Furbank at full back was a clear tactical move but one that was questioned by both experts and supporters.
The message on social media was clear — the 25-year-old northampton back was not a player of Test quality.
‘I kind of knew when I was picked that was going to happen,’ said Furbank, who won his sixth cap in Paris — the same venue where he made a troubled debut in 2020. ‘Social media was off the radar. The more you read that stuff, the more you start to believe it.
‘I was happy to be involved and confident in my game, so I didn’t need to read it. I just deleted the apps all weekend — easy. When you’re going well and everyone is singing your praises, it’s really nice to read that sort of stuff. but I try not to look at too much of it because then you end up on a rollercoaster ride. I try to stay level-headed as much as possible.
‘People can have their opinions and for some that’s their job. They’re entitled to those but they’re not opinions I take on board.’
not everyone is able to be so strong. Furbank is a more than consistent domestic performer and england head coach Jones values his versatility.
He made his 50th Premiership appearance and starred in northampton’s clinical win at london Irish last weekend and will be a key figure for the Saints at home against bristol today.
a talented cricketer growing up, Furbank was inspired by the records broken by former england batsman alastair Cook at bedford School. Furbank went to bedford for sixth form.
He admits initially he was more focused on an international cricket career than a rugby one. Furbank still dabbles in cricket and scored a half century in northampton’s players against staff match in pre-season.
‘I only went to bedford for two years but I knew Cook had gone there,’ Furbank told Sportsmail. ‘The pavilion at bedford is named after him, so you can’t escape it! Cricket was a big part of my life growing up — the 2005 ashes was my first big memory. I looked up to Freddie Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen. all my rugby came at Huntingdon rugby Club from the age of five until I was 16 when I moved schools to bedford.
‘I had other sports at my first school, Kimbolton. I loved playing hockey, cricket and football there before my focus switched to rugby. It’s still pretty crazy to me I’ve played for england.’
Furbank won three caps at full back in 2020, one last summer against Canada, and then started last november’s win over Tonga at fly-half as a late replacement for Owen Farrell.
‘eddie said he likes the fact I can cover 10 and 15,’ Furbank added. ‘You’ve got Marcus Smith and Freddie in those spots and they’re carving it up, so it’s pretty difficult to get in. I understand that.
‘I put another good step forward in the Six nations. I know the position I’m in with england and I’m comfortable with that. My mindset is to be involved in every campaign.
‘I train as hard as I can but I’m not putting pressure on myself otherwise you get peaks and troughs between being desperate to be involved and then not being selected.’
Furbank produced two volleyed kicks against France and the online trolls used that — again unfairly — as another stick with which to beat him.
‘With the first one, no one seemed to see on television that it hit the camera wire,’ said Furbank with a smile. ‘I wasn’t that bad under the high ball! It hit the wire so I ran forward but couldn’t get to it. I thought if it bounced, we could be in a bit of trouble so I hit a decent volley!’
Furbank knows his northampton side will probably have to win all five of their remaining Premiership games to seal a play-off spot.
and he believes there are comparisons between Jones’s england revolution and Chris boyd’s at northampton.
‘I truly believe in the direction we’re going. We’ve spoken about a new england and we’re working on our togetherness,’ said Furbank. ‘When you bring in a new game plan it won’t click immediately, it’s going to take time.
‘When Chris came in at Saints, he brought a new brand of rugby and we weren’t great to start with because we didn’t have the skillset to play it.
‘a year down the line we were making Premiership semi-finals and european quarter-finals. We started putting in a run of good performances because we got used to the system.
‘It’s going to take time with england, but there is time.’