Rugby chiefs set to ban trans women from female game
The english rugby union is heading for a ban on trans women playing in female games after finding it can be unsafe and unfair.
The sport’s national governing body revealed yesterday that, after two years surveying 11,000 rugby enthusiasts and experts, a review had decided ‘there are physical differences between those people whose sex was assigned as male, and those as female, at birth’.
As a result, the Rugby Football Union concluded: ‘The inclusion of trans people assigned male at birth in female contact rugby cannot be balanced against considerations of safety and fairness.’
The RFU council is now set to vote next Friday on a recommendation that trans women are banned from the female game.
Currently, six trans women, born male, play in the girls’ and women’s game after individually applying for permission, with size and weight taken into consideration.
The change will bring english rugby into line with World Rugby rules and follows a recent decision by international swimming’s governing body Fina to ban trans women from female competition because of strength advantages.
The RFU said on its website: ‘The review and consultation concluded that... advantages in strength, stamina and physique brought about by male puberty are significant and retained even after testosterone suppression...
‘The recommendation is that until such time as new science is available, a precautionary approach is appropriate to ensure fair competition and safety of all competitors.’ Last month, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries urged British sports bodies to follow swimming body Fina’s lead.
Olympic diver Tom Daley, however, has expressed his ‘fury’ at the ban on trans women.
Last night, Stephanie DaviesArai, director of campaign group Transgender Trend, said: ‘ It shouldn’t have taken two years to decide that letting males play in the female category is both unsafe and unfair. It is obvious and should never have been considered – but it is good that at least they appear to be about to make the right decision now.’