Lance Armstrong is set to engage in a discussion with Caitlyn Jenner concerning the involvement of transgender individuals in sports. This topic has sparked significant debate in recent times, and Armstrong aims to foster a more informed dialogue. He released a preview of their conversation, emphasizing his willingness to address this sensitive issue without fear of backlash.
Armstrong expressed his belief that the fear of repercussions often hinders open conversations on such matters. He stressed the importance of approaching the topic fearlessly to reach more insightful conclusions. The full conversation will be available as part of "The Forward" series.
Armstrong questioned whether the current climate discourages open debate and fosters fear of negative consequences. Given his own experiences with public scrutiny, he feels uniquely positioned to facilitate these discussions. He also highlighted the contentious nature of transgender athletes' participation in sports, asking if it's possible to support the transgender community while questioning the fairness of their inclusion in sports without being labeled transphobic or bigoted. He further inquired whether definitive answers exist and if there's a desire to find them.
The increasing participation of transgender women in cycling, particularly Austin Killips' victories, has fueled the debate. Killips' success has led to protests and calls for revisions to the transgender participation rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and USA Cycling.
Hannah Arensman, a highly accomplished cyclocross champion, retired from the sport after competing against transgender women, feeling it impacted her team selection chances. Inga Thompson, a three-time Olympian, also faced consequences for advocating against the UCI's transgender participation policies.
