Fiona Majendie, Skyler Goudswaard, Jenna Nestman, Lily Plante, and Justine Thomas brought their case forward after the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada denied their appeal regarding the October event in Shanghai.
Tribunal Hearing Scheduled for December Following Denied Interim Order
The Tribunal denied the athletes’ request for an expedited interim order that would have forced Cycling Canada to enter a women’s team before the September 21 entry deadline. According to the Tribunal’s decision, 34 days did not allow enough time to hold an expedited hearing and issue a ruling before the deadline. However, the Tribunal scheduled an oral hearing of up to three days in December to examine the discrimination allegations directly, following an unsuccessful mediation attempt between the athletes and the national sports organization.
“The important thing is that the Human Rights Tribunal — to its credit — has moved quickly enough to keep the 2027 Olympic pathway open. That women in Canadian sport still have to fight this hard for equal opportunity in 2026 is shocking.”
Cycling Canada Cites Performance Gap and Budget Limits
Cycling Canada defended its selection by stating that the decision to enter only a men’s team in Shanghai stems from performance analysis and financial constraints. The organization’s data indicated that the men’s team was closer to closing the gap on a top-six world ranking than the women’s program. Cycling Canada chief executive officer Mathieu Boucher noted in a previous statement that the women’s program was shifted to a development model rather than shut down entirely.
Boucher stated in May that the door remained open for the women’s squad to pursue Olympic qualification for Los Angeles 2028 if athletes demonstrate competitive talent with proper funding. Yet, correspondence sent to athletes from Boucher and team coach Phil Abbott in May indicated that targeting 2032 was a more realistic objective for the women’s pursuit group. Cycling Canada plans to enter a women’s pursuit team in a Next Gen event in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, in January, the Pan American Championships in February, and a World Cup stop in Milton, Ontario, in April.
Tribunal Rejects Cycling Canada Request to Dismiss Complaint
In response to the Tribunal filing, Cycling Canada argued that the complaint constituted an “abuse of process” under the Human Rights Code because the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada already reviewed the matter. Arbitrator Carol Roberts ruled on August 10 that Cycling Canada’s decision was reasonable, equitable, and aligned with published selection criteria. The Tribunal rejected Cycling Canada’s request to bifurcate the upcoming hearing to rule on the abuse-of-process argument separately from the discrimination claims.
The dispute unfolds against a backdrop of federal financial investments in Canadian athletics. Secretary of Sport Adam van Koeverden announced $6.8 million in new funding for Cycling Canada for the 2026-27 cycle on September 25, which includes an immediate $846,000 injection for the current year. This money originates from a federal funding commitment of $660 million over five years directed toward national sport organizations. Historically, Canada’s women’s track cycling team pursuit program has achieved podium success, securing Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016 alongside a fourth-place finish in Tokyo in 2021.
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