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Canada’s national governing body for skating, Skate Canada, does not allow any of its national and international events to take place in Alberta, citing the province’s law banning biological male trans athletes from women’s sports.
“Skate Canada considers a variety of criteria when selecting host venues for its national events. After 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 Pakinomist Digital.
“This decision applies only to national and international level events and does not affect Alberta skaters’ ability to participate in Skate Canada programming and competitions. We will continue to monitor legislative developments in the province and will re-evaluate hosting options as circumstances evolve.”
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Protesters gather in Churchill Square in support of trans youth in Alberta after the “Sing With Love” concert at McDougall United Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on February 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 organizations within the framework to develop and implement athlete eligibility policies consistent with the requirements of the regulation, including limiting eligibility for female divisions to biologically female athletes.”
Skate Canada’s decision to sanction the province drew swift criticism from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who condemned the organization in a statement on X.
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“Women and girls have the right to play competitive sport in a safe and fair environment against other biological females. This view is held by a large 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 shameful,” Smith wrote.
“We expect them to apologize and adjust their policies when they realize that 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 topic in Canada, as it has been in the United States 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 chairman of a Pride party organizing group in Canada resigned in November amid a huge backlash for comments that questioned the fairness of transgender athletes in women’s sports during a radio interview.
