Fury over rugby trans women ban
A GAY Cardiff rugby club has hit out at a decision by the sport’s world governing body to ban transgender women from playing women’s contact rugby.
The controversial new regulations from World Rugby followed a review which concluded that trans women could not play due to risk of injury.
Cardiff Lions RFC – billed as Wales’ first gay and inclusive rugby team – took to social media to express their disappointment at the decision.
The statement read: “We the Cardiff Lions are disappointed and saddened with World Rugby’s decision to exclude trans women from women’s rugby.
“We will continue to campaign for this decision to be reversed and rugby be a sport for all”.
In a document explaining its decision, World Rugby stated: “It is known that biological males (whose puberty and development is influenced by androgens/testosterone) are stronger by 25% to 50%, are 30% more powerful, 40% heavier, and about 15% faster than biological females.
“As a result of this process and based on the available evidence, it was concluded that a balance between safety, fairness and inclusion could not be provided for transwomen playing women’s contact rugby.
“As a result, the new guidelines do not recommend that transwomen play women’s contact rugby on safety grounds at the elite and international level of the game where size, strength, power and speed are crucial for both risk and performance, but do not preclude national unions from flexibility in their application of the guidelines at the community level of the game.
“Transmen are permitted to participate in men’s contact rugby.”
The International Gay Rugby club house (IGR) took issue with the new policy, saying it did not take into consideration the impact it would have on the wider LGBT+ community.
The statement read: “This is a devastating decision for the rugby community. We utterly condemn this decision.
“The policy is primarily focused on the elite level of transgender women playing women’s rugby however World Rugby have acknowledged that this will affect the community game.
“The proposed policy not only stops transgender women from playing, it also severely restricts access for transgender men and non-binary players enjoying the sport they love”.
Nancy Kelley, chief executive of LGBT+ charity Stonewall, said: “We are deeply disappointed.
“As the world continues to evolve, it is vital that policies expand rather than restrict any sport’s potential to grow and benefit all our communities”.