Ontario’s Human Rights Tribunal has approved a hearing for five women who allege that Cycling Canada’s decision not to include a women’s track pursuit team in the upcoming world championships was discriminatory. Cycling Canada revealed its 10-member team for the championships in Shanghai on Wednesday, which includes a men’s pursuit team for the 2028 Olympic Games qualification event in Los Angeles but excludes a women’s team.
The five women – Fiona Majendie, Skyler Goudswaard, Jenna Nestman, Lily Plante, and Justine Thomas – escalated their pursuit team inclusion case to Ontario’s Human Rights Tribunal on August 18 after their appeal to the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada was rejected. Despite their plea for an interim order to compel Cycling Canada to enter a women’s team by the September 21 deadline for the Shanghai championships, the Tribunal found that there was insufficient time for an expedited resolution within a 34-day timeframe.
However, the Tribunal has scheduled a hearing in December for up to three days to listen to oral arguments from the five women and Cycling Canada. Efforts for mediation between the women and Cycling Canada were unsuccessful after the Tribunal’s direction. Cycling Canada, in response to the Human Rights Tribunal, denied allegations of sexual discrimination and argued that the complaint should be dismissed under the Human Rights Code as the issue had already been addressed by the SDRCC.
Emir Crowne, representing the athletes, commended the Human Rights Tribunal for its ongoing proceedings and emphasized the importance of fair treatment for women in Canadian sports. Cycling Canada clarified that while they did not disband the women’s team pursuit program, they transitioned to a development model. The decision to only field a men’s pursuit team in the Shanghai championships was based on performance analysis and budget constraints, indicating that the men were closer to a top-six world ranking than the women.
Cycling Canada hinted at the possibility of pursuing Olympic qualification for the women in 2028 if exceptional talent emerges. Meanwhile, plans to develop a competitive team for 2032 were outlined in correspondence from Boucher and coach Phil Abbott. The women’s pursuit team is set to compete in various events, including a Next Gen event in the Netherlands, the Pan American Championships, and a World Cup in Ontario.
Secretary of Sport Adam van Koeverden announced additional funding for Cycling Canada, aiming to support the team’s endeavors. Canada has a strong history in women’s track cycling team pursuit, with notable achievements in previous Olympic Games. The upcoming world championships in China will witness the return of gold medalist Kelsey Mitchell, accompanied by a formidable Canadian contingent competing in various sprint and endurance events.
The stakes are high for Canada at the championships, with a focus on securing qualifications for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The Canadian roster includes talented sprinters and endurance athletes poised to make their mark on the global cycling stage.
