<\/p>\n
When Canadian Cycling Magazine\u00a0<\/em>broke the story that\u00a0Cycling Canada announced it was pausing its women\u2019s team pursuit program and\u00a0would not be sending a women\u2019s team pursuit squad to this year\u2019s world championships in Shanghai, China<\/a>, the governing body presented the news as a final decision. The response online, from the athlete\u2019s open letter to Cycling Canada<\/a> to the immediate and massive show of support for the current athletes and the team pursuit program<\/a>, suggests this discussion was just getting started.<\/p>\n Now, five athletes from the women\u2019s team pursuit program are filing an appeal against Cycling Canada. The CBC<\/a> reports that Skyler Goudswaard, Fiona Majendie, Jenna Nestman,\u00a0 Lily Plante, and Justine Thomas have filed an appeal with\u00a0Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada. That appeal challenges Cycling Canada\u2019s decision not to send a women\u2019s team pursuit squad to 2026 world championships.<\/p>\n The five riders are being represented by Amanda Fowler and Dr. Emir Crowne. If those names sound familiar, it could be because they recently represented Dylan Bibic as he successfully fought Cycling Canada to race the omnium at 2025 world championships<\/a>. The two cases bear some similarity, as unfair assessment and selection criteria are central to both cases.<\/p>\n \u201cAs reflected in public reporting, the athletes received no meaningful notice before an entire program was cut, eliminating a critical Olympic pathway,\u201d Fowler and Dr. Crowne argue in a joint statement.<\/p>\n In the case of the women\u2019s team pursuit program, though, the appeal also questions whether the athlete\u2019s gender factored unfairly into the decision.<\/p>\n \u201cThe decision raises serious questions about fairness, consistency, and whether female athletes are being afforded the same opportunity to compete and progress as the men\u2019s program,\u201d Fowler and Dr. Crowne added.<\/p>\nSelection woes at Cycling Canada<\/h2>\n
\n