Transgender Women Can Continue Playing Under New Fa Rules

Transgender women will beryllium allowed to proceed to compete successful women's shot successful England provided they meet stricter eligibility criteria, nan Football Association has said.

The criteria successful nan FA's updated trans argumentation includes gathering reduced testosterone levels and "match observation" to measure if nan subordinate "presents a risk" to nan information of different players and adjacent competition.

The FA says a caller general process will springiness nan governing assemblage "ultimate discretion" complete eligibility and it will beryllium managed connected a "case-by-case basis".

Campaigners person been calling for nan FA to update its transgender policy, pinch an estimated 100 protesters calling for alteration before England's men's lucifer against nan Republic of Ireland astatine Wembley successful November.

Sports specified arsenic rugby union, rugby convention and lucky restrict women's title to players that person not gone done antheral puberty.

The FA says location are 20 transgender women registered to play amateur shot successful England among nan millions who play astatine that level and location are nary successful nan master crippled crossed nan Home Nations.

Transgender women will beryllium allowed to compete successful women's shot provided their testosterone levels are beneath prescribed levels.

They must supply impervious that they person been beneath nan limit for astatine slightest 12 months, arsenic good arsenic a aesculapian grounds of hormone therapy and an yearly reappraisal of treatment.

However, a caller general process - which will impact a lucifer study by an FA charismatic - will springiness nan assemblage nan expertise to region aliases garbage a player's support to play successful nan women's game.

The FA's argumentation was introduced successful 2015 and nan BBC has been told location person been fewer existent challenges connected nan ground of information aliases fairness.

In December 2023, a group of 48 MPs signed a letter urging nan Football Association to alteration its rules connected transgender inclusion to "protect women and girls" successful football.

That came aft respective teams reportedly withdrew from games against a recreational broadside successful Yorkshire aft a changeable by a transgender subordinate injured an opponent.

Sutton United women's squad postponed a fixture against Ebbsfleet United successful September 2024 done "an abundance of caution". It came aft Sutton signed Blair Hamilton, a transgender goalkeeper.

The nine made history successful January 2024 by appointing Lucy Clark, nan first openly transgender head successful British football.

In March, FA main executive Mark Bullingham said nan governing assemblage was looking to "refine" its transgender argumentation but its existent rules were "in nan correct place".