Press Release: USA Cycling today released the Statement on the Delay of Announcing the 2021 Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships.
During preparations to announce the date and location for the 2021 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championship, USA Cycling learned of an anti-transgender bill being considered in the host state’s legislature. This legislation would have barred transgender youth from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity. This legislation has subsequently passed into law.
As a result, USA Cycling has decided against holding Marathon Mountain Bike Nationals in the aforementioned state and is currently vetting new venues – something that is feasible due to contract status, event size, and event date. We realize the temporary lack of a date and venue impacts our members and are working as quickly as possible to announce both a new date and location.
While USA Cycling is, in this instance, able to relocate this particular event, it will not always be the case that we can move events in states that have passed similar legislation, either due to previous contractual and legal commitments or the inability to find a suitable replacement venue given the length of time before the event is due to take place.
As we learn more about discriminatory legislative efforts around the country and hear directly from our LGBTQIA+ and allied communities, we will adapt our policies to guide our decisions on where to hold future National Championships. These will be released in the coming weeks.
USA Cycling has modified our National Championship plans where contractually possible and will place our future events in locations where legislation does not limit access to sport. For events with existing agreements that occur in locations that have passed restrictive legislation, we will work with the local host community, as well as local advocacy groups to ensure safe and fair events while drawing support for a more inclusive cycling environment.
Rob DeMartini USA Cycling’s CEO
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For more information, contact Tara McCarthy at tmmcarthy@usacycling.org.