Football Association reviewing its transgender policy


The Scottish FA (SFA) has employed a similar approach, allowing transgender women to compete in their affirmed gender category on a case-by-case basis, with testosterone levels also taken into account.

But under new rules, from next season, only those born biologically female will be allowed to take part in competitive matches in the women’s game north of the border.

The FA has now come under pressure to follow suit, as sports bodies react to the Supreme Court ruling.

Former FA Chairman Lord Triesman told The Telegraph that the Scottish FA had shown “wisdom” and “similar clarity from the FA is long overdue”.

“The very idea that the FA can disregard the Supreme Court shows a foolhardy contempt for the law. Every passing day makes it worse” he said.

An FA Spokeswoman told the BBC: “We are carefully reviewing our policy and taking legal advice.”

Last week, football anti-discrimination group Kick It Out said that the Supreme Court ruling would have “far-reaching consequences” in a statement expressing “solidarity with the trans community”.

The SFA rule change will bring it into line with other sports such as rugby, swimming and athletics, which restrict women’s competition to players that have not gone through male puberty.

Last week, transgender women were banned from the female category of Ultimate Pool Group, while snooker’s governing body is reviewing its gender eligibility policy.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is also taking legal advice on its policy since the Supreme Court ruling.

It currently allows transgender women to play in tier three of the domestic structure, which comprises traditionally lower-level counties, and in recreational cricket.

World football’s governing body Fifa has had an internal working group reviewing the eligibility issue for several years, calling it a “work in progress”, and adding that it wants the game to be “safe and inclusive”.



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