Emily Bridges says data will 'come out soon' as trans cyclist prepares to go to European Court

Bridges had met previous regulations over testosterone suppression following her transition.

However, the governing bodies ruled that no trans athletes would be allowed to compete regardless of their testosterone levels.

Bridges has now told ITV that she's lost hope of competing again at an elite level.

But she wants to challenge the current ruling by taking her battle to the European Court of Human Rights in France.

“I don’t care if I never compete again – it’s for other people who want to compete and it’s just about what’s right," said Bridges.

“How many of those studies are done on athletes?

"I have been part of a study, and there is very clear data, and the data will be coming out soon.”

According to the Telegraph, Bridges was referring to ongoing research at the University of Loughborough.

​Bridges believes their study will show that she and other trans athletes do not have an advantage against female-born counterparts.

The report does say, however, that her potential competitors at the British Championships in 2022 were 'sufficiently concerned by her entry in the women’s omnium event ahead of the Commonwealth Games to discuss a boycott if she was permitted to compete.'

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has advised governing bodies that there is a 'sporting exemption' in the domestic Equality Act.

They also say it is 'therefore likely to be lawful' to introduce policies that ensure female sport remains free of trans athletes for 'evidenced reasons of fairness of safety'.

British Cycling rules still allow Bridges to compete in an 'open' category.

This consists of transgender women, transgender men and athletes born male.

But Bridges has hit back at that idea and questioned whether it would be 'safe' for her to compete.

"Would it be safe for me to compete in an open category?” she said.

“I have a past in cycling so I have previous results, people know me.

"But, for another trans woman, who hasn’t competed in the past, if she is trans but is seen by the world as a cis woman, how is it fair to ask her to out herself and compete in an open category?

"That’s not fair. It’s not safe either.

"You can say you can compete in the open category, but we’re women – we should be able to race in the women’s category.

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“It’s a completely different world now. It’s not really something I allow myself to think about too much just because that part of my life is gone now, and it’s not something I really want to do anymore.

"I don’t really have a choice. I can’t compete… I can’t do something I used to love.”

In an interview last year, meanwhile, Bridges described British Cyling's stance as a 'violent act'.

“This is a violent act,” she wrote at the time.

“British Cycling are supporting this, they are furthering a genocide against us.

"Bans from sport is how it starts, look at what is going on in America. "It starts with sports bans, then youth and general healthcare and then bans from public life through bathroom bans.

"Just look at the situation, and who is on your side.

"When literal Nazis, conspiracy theorists and those who want our eradication are on your side, surely that should give you pause?”

She added: “British Cycling is a failed organisation, the racing scene is dying under your watch and all you do is take money from petrochemical companies and engage in culture wars.

"You don’t care about making sport more diverse, you want to make yourself look better and you’re even failing at that.

"Cycling is still one of the whitest, straightest sports out there, and you couldn’t care less.”