Inga Thompson Advocates for Female-only Athletic Categories
Former Olympic cyclist Inga Thompson voiced her support for female-only categories in sports during a ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ interview. Thompson commended WNBA star Sophie Cunningham for her courageous stance on fairness in girls’ sports. She highlighted the ongoing five-decade effort to maintain Title IX protections amidst sports organizations grappling with policies on biological males in women’s events.
Nicola Cranmer’s Statement on Gender Eligibility in Cycling
Nicola Cranmer, manager of the UCI women’s cycling team Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28, shared her thoughts with OutKick after her riders competed in the Philadelphia Cycling Classic alongside a trans athlete. Cranmer, leading the longest-running professional women’s cycling team globally, stressed the importance of preserving the integrity of the women’s category. Her experience in women’s cycling spans over 20 years, focusing on creating opportunities for female athletes.
Cranmer called for clear and consistent rules established by sport’s governing bodies, particularly the UCI, ensuring transparency and fairness. She expressed that regulations must be respected to maintain confidence in competition fairness.
Controversy Over Trans Athlete Participation
A race official provided a statement to OutKick concerning the eligibility issue surrounding Amanda Tait, the trans athlete at the event. All riders held valid international racing licenses, cross-checked against UCI records. Officials relied on criteria from USA Cycling, which initially confirmed Tait’s eligibility to compete. Despite community concerns emerging after recognizing Tait during the event broadcast, Tait didn’t complete the race, resulting in no separate eligibility action.
USA Cycling’s policy initiated in September 2025 addresses competition eligibility based on self-certification and birth certificates, criticized for being insufficient to protect the women’s division. The matter also recalls earlier controversies surrounding trans cyclists, raising fairness concerns.
Community Concerns and Policy Criticism
Amanda Tait had participated in over 60 women’s events, achieving significant placements like fourth at the USA Cycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships. This success prompted USA Cycling to modify policy terms in an effort to safeguard women’s sports categories. Despite criticism from pro-life advocates regarding the policy’s language strength, USA Cycling retention of authority over eligibility challenges limits recourse for female competitors.
Jackson Thompson reports on critical political and cultural sports issues for Fox News Digital, contributing insights cited in federal actions related to Title IX enforcement.