Ontario’s Human Rights Tribunal has agreed to hold a hearing for five women who argue that the decision by Cycling Canada to exclude a women’s track pursuit team from the upcoming world championships was discriminatory. Cycling Canada revealed its 10-member team for the championships in Shanghai from October 14-16. While Canada will have a men’s pursuit team participating in the qualification event for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, there is no women’s team included.
Fiona Majendie, Skyler Goudswaard, Jenna Nestman, Lily Plante, and Justine Thomas pursued their case for the inclusion of a women’s pursuit team to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal after their appeal to the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada was rejected on August 18. Their request for Cycling Canada to enter a women’s team by the September 21 deadline for the Shanghai event was denied due to time constraints. However, the Tribunal has scheduled a hearing in December to hear arguments from both the women and Cycling Canada.
Efforts for mediation between the women and Cycling Canada were unsuccessful as directed by the Tribunal. Cycling Canada refuted claims of sexual discrimination, stating that the issue had already been addressed by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada.
Cycling Canada had proposed splitting the hearing into two parts to address the abuse of process allegations before discussing discrimination, but this request was turned down. Emir Crowne, representing the athletes, commended the Human Rights Tribunal for proceeding with a combined hearing in December, emphasizing that Canadian female athletes deserve fair treatment in sports.
Cycling Canada clarified that the decision to exclude a women’s pursuit team from the Shanghai championships was based on performance assessments and financial constraints, indicating a shift to a development-focused approach for the women’s team pursuit program. The organization expressed openness to pursuing Olympic qualification for women in 2028 if exceptional talent emerges.
Despite the current situation, a Cycling Canada spokesperson confirmed that a women’s pursuit team will compete in various upcoming events, including the Next Gen event in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, in January, the Pan American Championships in February, and a World Cup in Milton, Ont., in April.
Furthermore, additional funding of up to $6.8 million has been allocated to Cycling Canada for 2026-27, including an extra $846,000 for the current year, in support of athlete development and participation growth. Women’s track cycling team pursuit has historically been a strong event for Canada, with notable achievements in past Olympic Games.
The upcoming world championships in China will see the return of gold medalist Kelsey Mitchell, alongside other Canadian athletes, aiming to secure medals and establish their presence in the international cycling scene. The Canadian roster includes a mix of sprinters and endurance athletes geared towards achieving success in the upcoming competitions.