Olympic medalist Sharron Davies has claimed that ‘hundreds of men are stealing from women in sport’ after a trans cyclist won a bronze medal in a race in the United States.
Davies was a voice against transgender athletes competing in women’s events.
The former swimmer responded to social media posts saying transgender cyclist Catherine Barnwell had won bronze after finishing third in the Brumble Kermesse Road Race in Rhode Island on Monday.
One photo showed Barnwell next to the winner and runner-up of the United States race.
Davies hit back at “disgusting sexism” by allowing transgender athletes to compete, claiming “places and prizes” are being stolen from women.
Sharron Davies has claimed that ‘hundreds of men are stealing from women in sport’ after a trans cyclist won a bronze medal at a race in the United States.
Davies was responding to a post saying transgender cyclist Catherine Barnwell won a bronze medal in a women’s race on Monday
The Olympic medalist claimed that ‘awards and prizes’ are being stolen from female athletes
Davies wrote: ‘And again… Hundreds if not thousands of men are now stealing places, honors, prizes, podiums, titles, scholarships and very special character building opportunities, even their dreams, from women in sports across the world every bloody day Western world!
“It’s disgusting sexism.”
The former swimmer, who won silver in the 400-meter medley at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, previously responded to an image of trans athlete Cece Telfer taking part in a women’s hurdles event.
Telfer, who previously competed as a man, became the first openly transgender athlete to win a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title in 2019 and ran in the Women’s Invitational 60m hurdles in Boston in February.
The sprinter had qualified for the final of the event and finished fifth in the preliminary races, but reportedly disqualified herself during the deciding race.
Davies wrote on X (formerly Twitter): ‘Look for the male athlete in the women’s race! It’s just cheating.’
A video was also posted of the 6-foot-2 Telfer preparing for the race, with the sprinter jumping up and down and loosening her joints at the starting blocks.
Davies also attacked a transgender athlete competing in a women’s 60m hurdles event
Images of trans athlete Cece Telfer competing in a women’s event were posted online
Davies wrote on X (formerly Twitter): ‘Look for the male athlete in the women’s race! It’s just cheating.’
Davies previously faced backlash from transgender activists who reportedly targeted her children’s school after she spoke out against trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
The 61-year-old, who has attended 12 Olympic Games as a competitor and broadcaster, backed the decision to prevent transgender cyclist Emily Bridges from racing against female riders. Bridges was at the center of a debate following her attempts last year to compete against female athletes.
Speaking to LBC, Davies said: ‘I don’t think Emily Bridges should be allowed to compete with women. I think she should absolutely be able to participate, and it is very important that we make all sports inclusive.
‘However, thanks to a women’s category and an open category, everyone can participate in fair sports. What kind of message are we sending to young girls when we tell them that men deserve and are worthy of fair sport, but women are not. What kind of message is that for a young, aspiring athlete?’
The issue of transgender participation in women’s sports has sparked much debate in recent years.
Tennis star Martina Navratilova and two-time Olympic gold medalist Daley Thompson are among the former athletes who have raised concerns about the debate.
Several governing bodies have introduced policies regarding the participation of transgender athletes in recent years.
World Athletics voted last year to ban transgender women from competing in international female athletics events.
Telfer previously became the first openly trans athlete to win an NCAA title in 2019
Telfer had competed on the Franklin Pierce University men’s track and field teams from 2016 to 2017
It was decided to ‘prioritize fairness and the integrity of female competition before inclusion’. The new rules state that transgender athletes are only eligible to compete in the women’s disciplines if they “have not experienced any part of male puberty after Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later.”
World Aquatics changed its policy in 2022 so that transgender women can only compete in women’s races if they complete their transition at age 12.
Their rules also required swimmers to prove to the federation that they have continuously suppressed their testosterone levels since then.
To accommodate transgender athletes, World Aquatics has created an ‘open category’ in which transgender athletes can compete against each other at events.
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has attempted to challenge these rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The debate over transgender athletes’ participation in elite sports intensified when Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history in 2022.
In 2022, the NCAA implemented a new transgender participation policy which is in line with that of the International Olympic Committee. Under the rules introduced in 2022, transgender athletes were required to have completed a year of testosterone suppression treatment to be eligible to compete.
The rules have since been updated for the 2023-2024 season, requiring athletes to meet the above criteria and now meet the sport’s standard for documented testosterone levels before the season, prior to the first competition in an NCAA event and prior to any competition in the non-championship segment.
At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Games, but failed to make a lift in women’s weightlifting over 87 kg.