Five Canadian cyclists are gearing up to challenge Cycling Canada’s decision not to send a women’s pursuit team to this year’s world championships scheduled for October 14-18. The cyclists, Skyler Goudswaard, Fiona Majendie, Jenna Nestman, Lily Plante, and Justine Thomas, have lodged an appeal with the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada to contest the ruling. They are hopeful that an arbitration ruling will reinstate the women’s pursuit team, while the men’s pursuit team remains unaffected and is set to participate.
The legal representatives of the athletes, Amanda Fowler and Emir Crowne, have criticized Cycling Canada’s decision, raising concerns about fairness and gender equality in the sport. Cycling Canada’s CEO, Mathieu Boucher, stated that the organization is not currently aware of any formal appeal but will respect the process if initiated.
Previously, Crowne and Fowler successfully represented cyclist Dylan Bibic in an arbitration case against Cycling Canada, resulting in Bibic being reinstated to compete for Canada at the world championships. The lawyers are now questioning Cycling Canada’s decision to exclude the women’s pursuit team while allowing the men’s team to compete.
The decision has sparked strong reactions, with Olympian Clara Hughes condemning Cycling Canada for its actions. Boucher defended the decision, emphasizing that it was based on the teams’ competitiveness rather than financial considerations. According to Boucher, data analysis indicates that the men’s pursuit team has a better chance of success due to a smaller gap in performance compared to the women’s team.
Athletes were informed of the decision last week and received a letter from Boucher explaining the rationale behind it. Boucher acknowledged that the choice was challenging and considered the impact on the women’s program. The cyclists are seeking a fair resolution that ensures equal opportunities for all athletes.