A JOCKEY thought to be the only active transgender rider in the world has been banned after admitting racially abusing a rival.
Tyler Leslight has been suspended for six weeks after fellow jockey Wanderson D’Avila complained to stewards following a race last May, according to news.com.au.
Leslight, who has ridden winners on national TV and won prize money of £500,000, finished third while D’Avila finished fourth.
The transgender jockey, who competes as a man, was charged under rule AR 228(e) which is ‘conduct detrimental to the interests of racing’.
Leslight, who races in Australia, pleaded guilty to the charge.
Two weeks of Leslight’s ban have been suspended for two years ‘under the proviso that apprentice Leslight does not re-offend under a similar rule in that time’.
The stewards’ report added: “Given his confirmed riding engagements, stewards ruled that this suspension to ride in races is to commence midnight Saturday, June 29, 2024 and conclude midnight Saturday, July 27, 2024.
“In assessing penalty, stewards considered Apprentice Leslight’s, guilty plea, his apology and genuine remorse in relation to the matter and that he provided evidence that he had since completed a training course on racial discrimination.”
Leslight has previously spoken of the strain his decision to transition had on the relationship with his family.
He told Fox Sports: “There’s been loss, I lost my mother as she doesn’t speak to me anymore.
“At the time when I was 17, that broke me as a kid and I thought my world was over, it took me a good 12 months to get over that.
“I was 18 when I started my medical transition.
“But things happen for a reason, I can’t worry about that sort of stuff and I just have positive people in my life.
“I moved from Victoria as I couldn’t even get a job working as a trackwork rider down there, I started working trackwork in Queensland and I probably couldn’t even ride a donkey.
“There were also people who didn’t want to give me a go or didn’t want the world to know the truth about me.
“They were embarrassed about me.”
Speaking previously of losing contact with his mother, Leslight revealed: “I was lucky enough to figure out who I was as a person. Mentally for me it was a big deal and I was scared.
“But at the end of the day I wasn’t happy and I knew if I medically transitioned I would be happier.
“Even if you lose people if they don’t want to support you, then they’re not worth having in your life anyway.
“I’ve never been happier. I may have lost a couple people in my family because of their judgement, but just surround yourself with people who support you.”
