Further sporting bodies reviewing policy around participation of transgender athletes – The Irish Times
Several other sports federations are in the process of reviewing guidelines for transgender athlete participation, as the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has announced that it will no longer allow transgender women to play contact rugby in the women’s category.
The IRFU said Wednesday it would change its policy for the upcoming season and not allow transgender women to play in adult women’s games.
The decision drew criticism from Trans Equality Together, a coalition of 20 trans rights organizations, who called the change “harmful” and a move that would set a “dangerous precedent” for other sports.
The new policy means that contact rugby for players in the women’s category will be restricted to those whose gender was registered as female at birth.
Prior to the IRFU’s decision, several other sports federations also reviewed their own policies on transgender participation in their sports.
[ IRFU excludes transgender women from participation in contact rugby ]
A spokesman for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said it was “reviewing our gender suitability policy and will be consulting all relevant stakeholders, including UEFA and FIFA”.
Similarly, Basketball Ireland said it was “in the process of reviewing and updating our policies on the participation of trans athletes”.
The current governing body policy dates from 2019 and sets out criteria for the participation of transgender gamers. These include a requirement to provide certification from a primary care physician or counselor that “hormone therapy has been administered in a demonstrable manner and for a period of time sufficient to minimize gender advantages in basketball games or practice.”
The rules would also require the player to show “legal recognition of the player’s acquired gender”.
A spokesman for the GAA said it is reviewing the matter through a transgender working group, but the group has not yet established a policy.
The Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) also said it was “developing a policy in this area” in consultation with the GAA and other sports organizations.
The IRFU policy change regarding transgender women is believed to affect two registered players. The move follows a similar decision by England’s Rugby Football Union in July.
In the male category, players whose sex is registered as female at birth are allowed to continue playing if they give written consent and a risk assessment is conducted, the IRFU said.