NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
The president of a Canadian Pride group has resigned amid backlash over comments about transgender athletes in women's sports.
The Windsor-Essex Pride Festival in Ontario, Canada, announced this week on social media that President Wendy Nicholson has resigned after she commented on recent reports that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would ban on biological males from women's competitions.
“Effective immediately, Wendy Nicholson resigned as president of the board and is no longer associated with the Windsor-Essex Pride Fest,” the statement read.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS RESOURCES ON FOXNEWS.COM
A parade participant waves a Progress Pride flag at the Midsumma Pride march in St Kilda, Victoria, Australia on February 2, 2025. (Joshua Stanier/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“We are closely monitoring people's comments regarding this situation, and while this announcement is an important first step, we agree that there is much more we can do… We understand that people are angry and we understand why. We ask that you support us as we work to improve ourselves and uphold our values of equality, inclusion and respect.”
Nicholson made her comments during a radio interview on AM800.
“We fought for women in sports. Now people come to us and say, 'Well, I can't make it in this sport, so I'm going to move on and become this,'” Nicholson said.
NEW OLYMPICS CHIEF CALLS FOR 'DEFENDING' WOMEN'S CATEGORY Amid GLOBAL WAVE OF TRANS-ATHLETES
“You were Johnny until you were 17 or 18 years old. Now you are involved in elite sports. You are reaching puberty. You're not as good as you thought you were, but then you look and think, “Hey, if I say my name is Sally and I'm transgender, I can go and beat the crap out of girls.”
Nicholson added that she has no problem with transgender women participating in sport “until they get to the elite divisions” and that, as “a woman who has been innovating for many years,” she feels the issue “hits a sore spot.”
Fox News Digital attempted to reach Nicholson on social media for comment on her recent resignation.
Current IOC policy leaves it up to each individual sport's governing body to set policies regarding transgender athletes. But as the IOC changes leadership, so will its policies. London Times reported on Monday.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The upcoming policy change will likely be announced at IOC session in February ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy and following a presentation by Dr. Jane Thornton, the IOC's medical and scientific director, last week, according to The Times.
Thornton's presentation reportedly demonstrated physical benefits in men, including those undergoing treatment to lower testosterone levels. A source told the newspaper that the presentation was “very scientific” and dispassionate.
“The IOC Director of Health, Medicine and Science provided an update to IOC members last week during IOC Commission meetings,” an IOC spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The working group continues to discuss this topic; no decisions have been made yet. Further information will be provided in due course.”
Follow Fox News Digital sports reporting on X and subscribe to Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
