(CNN) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said transgender women should not compete women’s sports. These statements came despite saying that his statements could be considered “controversial”.

“I don’t think biological men should compete in women’s sporting events,” Johnson said during a visit to a hospital in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, on Wednesday. “And this is probably a bit controversial…a newspaper…the Palestinian News Agency reported.”

Johnson made the comments while speaking about a number of issues, including the UK government’s controversial decision not to include transgender people in the ban on women. It’s called conversion therapy.

“And I also believe that women should have places, whether in hospitals or prisons or locker rooms or wherever, that are reserved for women. So far my thoughts on this have come in,” Johnson said, according to the PA, if that puts me in conflict. With some others, we all have to work it out.

“It doesn’t mean that I don’t have great sympathy for people who want to change their gender, and move on. It’s essential that we give people as much love and support as possible in making those decisions.

“But these are complex issues and I don’t think they can be resolved with quick and easy law. It takes a lot of thinking to get that right,” he said.

Trans woman says she feels ‘harassed and demonized’

Johnson’s comments came only days later Transgender athlete Emily Bridges She said she was “harassed and demonized” by the media after the cycling world championships, the UCI

Bridges, whose British Olympic stars such as Laura Kenny were due to compete in the event, said she learned from British Cycling last week that the International Cycling Union had ruled she was ineligible. Bridges, 21, said in a statement that she had been in contact with British Cycling and the UCI over the past six months before what was supposed to be her first women’s championship race.

“At the time, I provided medical evidence to both British Cycling and the UCI that I met the eligibility criteria for transgender cyclists, including that my testosterone limit had been well below the limit set by regulations for the past 12 months,” Bridges said in his statement, which Released by the LGBTQIA + PRIDE OUT bike group.

Effective March 1, 2020, UCI regulations state that transgender women must lower their testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L for at least 12 months in order to compete in female events.

The UCI did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. CNN reached out to Bridges directly, but has yet to hear back.

However, the Guardian reported that the UCI banned Bridges from competing because it said she was still registered as a male cyclist, and therefore was ineligible to compete as a female until her ID expired.

“I am an athlete and I just want to be competitive again,” Bridges said in a statement. “No one should choose between being themselves and participating in the sport they love.”

“It is not surprising that the British media attacks anything unusual and prints whatever is likely to get the largest share of their articles and propaganda.

“This is without concern for the welfare of marginalized individuals or groups, leaving others to pick up the pieces for their actions,” he added.

Bridges initially posted the statement on his Instagram account, but has since made the account private.