'Virtue-signalling insanity' Piers Morgan on ruling over transgender cyclist Emily Bridges
Piers Morgan, who has been campaigning against transgender people competing in women's sport for years, took to Twitter in celebration."Finally, a ray of common sense shines up from the virtue-signalling insanity," he wrote jubilantly in view of almost eight million followers.If she had taken part, 21-year-old Emily would have been up against some formidable competition, including five-times Olympic champion Laura Kenny.However it is believed that those who were assigned male at birth face physical advantages against those who were born female, including levels of the hormone testosterone.Although the hormone is present in both males and females, it is men who have significantly higher amounts of it - and the substance, which promotes the building of muscle, is one of the factors in men having an athletic advantage.The Union Cycliste Internationale requires their contestants to have had testosterone levels that are below five nanomoles per litre for at least a year prior to competing.However the association has confirmed that Emily does not meet the criteria and British Cycling subsequently issued a statement to say so.It read: "We have now been informed by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) that under their current guidelines Emily is not eligible to participate in this event."Piers had earlier hit out over the victory of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 500-yard freestyle swimming contest in the USA's NCAA Championships, deeming it "unfair".World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe has taken the same stance as Piers, arguing in his professional capacity that decisions to allow transgender athletes and sportspeople to compete is placing the "integrity" of women's sport under threat.He has insisted that.
