British Cycling has faced widespread ridicule after automatically removing the name of a Welsh hamlet from its website, substituting it with asterisks in what critics have labelled an example of excessive political correctness.
The organisation's online schedule for a youth cycling competition in South Wales displayed the Powys settlement as "Three ****" rather than its actual designation of Three Cocks.
The automated censorship of the village's centuries-old moniker prompted an avalanche of derision on social media platforms, with commentators suggesting the cycling authority had gone overboard in its attempts to avoid potential offence.
The hamlet, which derives its name from three male fowl, has carried this designation for at least half a millennium.
The incident occurred during the Ras Ieuenctid De Cymru, also known as the Junior Race of South Wales, which took place over the August bank holiday weekend.
British Cycling's website listing showed five asterisks in place of "Cocks" when detailing the race schedule, which included two stages departing from the village.
The first stage comprised a 47.5-mile sprint circuit through rural roads surrounding the settlement, whilst the second featured a 6-mile time trial.
Additional stages of the national series competition were conducted in adjacent areas including Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent.
The Three Cocks was censored
|GOOGLE MAPS
The automated alteration affected the official documentation for an event that included a 66-mile route and a subsequent 69-mile mountainous stage.
Online commentators lambasted the decision as an overreach of political correctness, with numerous individuals defending the settlement's traditional designation.
"Far too offensive to have cockerels crowing over the Welsh countryside, let alone three," one social media user remarked sarcastically.
Another person questioned the logic behind the alteration: "I'd be offended if my village name had been altered like that. Who on earth is going to be offended by Three Cocks?"
British Cycling has apologised
|PA
Additional criticism highlighted the historical significance of the terminology: "This is just taking wokeness too far. It is a perfectly acceptable old English word which has been around for centuries."
One commenter suggested the censorship revealed more about those implementing it: "You must have a pretty smutty sort of mind to think anyone would be offended by it."
British Cycling subsequently issued an apology, attributing the mishap to automated website filters that had become excessively cautious.
"Clearly the system decided, inappropriately, to spare our blushes and auto censored the historic Three Cocks village from the Junior Race of South Wales," a representative stated.
The organisation pledged to review its digital infrastructure.
A spokesman said: "Whilst it's great to see this fantastic event getting such national attention, we'll be having a serious look at the new systems we're implementing to ensure that technology doesn't override common sense in future."
The settlement's name originates from the heraldic emblems of the Williams family, who previously owned land at Old Gwernyfed, featuring three roosters on their coat of arms.
The incident was met with humour from Good Afternoon Britain presenters Dawn Neesom and Cameron Walker.
Cameron said: "Why did they censor it? Because it's three cockerels.
"The village has been named like that after an old coach in from the 15th century.
"So 500 years of history. But no, here in 2025, we are not allowed to have that on an official race route for British Cycling."