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Canada’s national governing body for skating, Skate Canada, is not allowing any of its national and international events to take place in Alberta, citing the province’s law that prohibits biological male trans athletes from women’s sports.
“Skate Canada considers a variety of criteria when selecting host locations for its national events. Following a careful assessment of Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, Skate Canada has determined that we are unable to host events in the province while maintaining our national standards for safe and inclusive sport,” the organization told Fox News Digital.
“This decision applies only to national and international-level events and does not affect the ability of Alberta skaters to participate in Skate Canada programming and competitions. We will continue to monitor legislative developments in the province and will reassess hosting opportunities as circumstances evolve.”
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Protesters rally at Churchill Square in support of trans youth in Alberta after the “Sing With Love” concert at McDougall United Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Feb. 11, 2024. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Alberta was not scheduled to host any upcoming national or international events. The province last hosted the Skate Canada Challenge last month and the national championships in January 2024.
Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act “requires in-scope organizations to create and implement policies for athlete eligibility that align with requirements set out in the regulation, including limiting eligibility for female-only divisions to biologically female athletes.”
Skate Canada’s decision to sanction the province prompted swift criticism from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who condemned the organization in a statement on X.
“Women and girls have the right to play competitive sports in a safe and fair environment against other biological females. This view is held by a vast majority of Albertans and Canadians. It is also common sense and common decency. Skate Canada‘s refusal to hold events in Alberta because we choose to protect women and girls in sport is disgraceful,” Smith wrote.
“We expect they will apologize and adjust their policies once they realize they are not only compromising the fairness and safety of their athletes, but are also offside with the international community, including the International Olympic Committee, which is moving in the same direction as Alberta.”
The issue of trans athletes in women’s sports has been a controversial subject in Canada just as it has in the U.S. over the past year.
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The topic was the source of a feud between two Canadian women’s college basketball teams last season — Vancouver Island University, which included a trans player on its women’s team, and Columbia Bible College, which was punished after allegations of abuse against that trans player.
Meanwhile, the president of a Pride fest organizing group in Canada resigned in November amid immense backlash for comments questioning the fairness of transgender athletes in women’s sports during a radio interview.
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