Austin Killips, a transgender cyclist, spoke in an article over the weekend about the «nature of the discourse» around the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, which Killips called «troubling,» adding that trans athletes are «statistically underrepresented» in sports. sports.
Speaking with the Knoxville News Sentinel, Killips addressed the controversy surrounding the participation of trans athletes in sports that apparently came into focus with the appearance of former UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas’ during the 2021-2022 season.
From left to right, Marion Norbert-Riberolle, Denise Betsema and Austin Killips pictured on the podium after the elite women’s Kasteelcross cyclocross cycling event, race 7/8 in the Exact Cross competition, Saturday, May 21. January 2023 in Zonnebeke, Belgium. (DAVID PINTENS/BELGIAN MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
«It is certainly concerning that the nature of the discourse, the amount of energy that has gone into building this narrative leads you to believe that there are a large number of trans athletes participating in sports and winning all the time, when the reality is that we are statistically underrepresented,» Killips told the outlet. «By the numbers, some of us do well, a lot of us do well, we’re just normal competitors.»
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA RIPS THE LATEST TRIUMPH OF THE TRANSGENDER CYCLIST IN NORTH CAROLINA: ‘WHAT A JOKE’
«If the rules say trans people can play, that doesn’t mean we can’t win.»
Killips became the first transgender woman to win a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) stage race after winning the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico back in april. The win sparked an uproar on social media that led the UCI to defend Killips and his politics.
Austin Killips chats with another cyclist before the start of the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championship in Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday, June 25, 2023. (Saul Young/News Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK)
«The UCI recognizes that transgender athletes may wish to compete in accordance with their gender identity,» the organization said in a statement at the time.
«The UCI rules are based on the latest scientific knowledge and have been consistently applied. The UCI continues to follow evolving scientific findings and may change its rules in the future as scientific knowledge evolves.»
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Tennis legend Martina Navratilova was among those who spoke out against Killips’ win, saying in a tweet: «this will happen more and more: women’s sports is NO PLACE for trans-identified male athletes.»
Navratilova spoke again on social media earlier this month when Killips finished first in the Belgian Waffle Ride in North Carolinabeating the second classified by four minutes.
«What a joke,» the former tennis star tweeted.
Killips apparently suggested to the Knoxville News Sentinel that outrage over winning events by trans athletes seemed misguided when considering them early.
«I think there’s this nature of when trans people do well at something, it’s like, ‘Oh man, this is the first time this has happened,» Killips said.
Nice Bikes’ Austin Killips, right, and DNA Pro Cycling’s Heidi Franz are called to the start line before the start of USA Cycling’s Pro Road National Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday, June 25, 2023. (Saul Young/News Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK)
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«Historically, we’ve been around for quite a while and we’ve been doing stuff. It’s the first full stage race, I guess, but it’s not unprecedented for a trans person to win a UCI level event,» Killips added. when it comes to cycling.
Killips finished ninth at the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships in Tennessee on Sunday over the weekend, according to the report.
«I feel like the toolbox I’ve had has felt a little shallow with the current state of things,» Killips told the outlet. «There are certain things that will remain out of my control forever, and you just have to make peace with that reality. It can be difficult and frustrating at times, but at the end of the day, just trying to imbue the experiences and moments that bring you joy and hold on to them.»
Lia Thomas watches from behind the blocks the women’s 500-yard freestyle during the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the McAuley Aquatic Center on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus on March 17. of 2022 in Atlanta. (Mike Comer/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Thomas’ involvement in women’s swimming at the collegiate level highlighted the involvement of transgender athletes when, in 2022, Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win a First Division Championship in any sport, winning the 500-yard freestyle.
Joe Morgan and Ryan Gaydos of Fox News contributed to this report.