The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has declined to mandate Cycling Canada to include a women’s pursuit team in the upcoming world track championship slated for October. However, the Tribunal has kept the possibility open for a hearing to investigate allegations of discrimination.
Cycling Canada plans to field a men’s pursuit team in the world championship in Shanghai, which serves as the primary qualifier for the 2028 Olympic Games, but has not included a women’s team in their lineup.
Following a rejection of their appeal by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, Fiona Majendie, Skyler Goudswaard, Jenna Nestman, Lily Plante, and Justine Thomas brought their case for the inclusion of a women’s pursuit team at the world championship to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal on August 18. They claimed that Cycling Canada discriminated against them based on gender and sought an interim order requiring the organization to enter a women’s pursuit team in Shanghai before the deadline on Monday.
In its ruling on Friday, the Tribunal stated that there was insufficient time for an expedited hearing and decision within a 34-day timeframe. Nonetheless, the Tribunal has agreed to address the discrimination allegations promptly by convening a case management conference to determine if a hearing should be conducted.
Emir Crowne, the legal representative for the women, emphasized the urgency of the situation, acknowledging that time constraints posed a challenge in the lead-up to the Shanghai event. Crowne commended the Human Rights Tribunal for acting swiftly to maintain the pathway to the 2027 Olympics, while expressing dismay at the ongoing struggle for gender equality in Canadian sports.
Efforts for mediation between the women and Cycling Canada failed on September 10 as directed by the Tribunal. The Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada had previously dismissed the women’s appeal on August 10, with Arbitrator Carol Roberts finding Cycling Canada’s decision to be in line with the organization’s criteria and objectives.
Cycling Canada refuted claims of sexual discrimination in response to the Human Rights Tribunal, arguing that the women’s application should be rejected as a misuse of process under the Human Rights Code due to the prior ruling by the SDRCC.
While Cycling Canada transitioned its women’s team pursuit program to a development model, it maintained that the decision to enter a men’s team over a women’s team at the world championship was based on performance analysis and budget constraints. The organization expressed openness to qualifying the women’s team for the 2028 Olympics if exceptional talent emerged and adequate training could boost competitiveness.
Although prospects for the women’s pursuit team qualifying for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles seemed slim, Cycling Canada indicated a focus on developing a team for the 2032 Games. The women’s pursuit team is scheduled to participate in upcoming events including a Next Gen competition in the Netherlands, the Pan American Championships, and a World Cup event in Ontario.
Canada has a strong track record in women’s team pursuit cycling, with Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, along with a fourth-place finish in 2021.
