CNN
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Transgender women will be banned from playing in women’s soccer in the UK starting June 1, the British Football Association (FA) announced Thursday.
“We understand that this is difficult for people who simply want to play games they love with the gender they identify, and we are reaching out to registered trans women who are currently playing to explain how they can continue to participate in the game,” the UK soccer organising agency said in a statement.
The FA has revealed to CNN Sports that the ban will affect women’s soccer at all levels, from professional games to grassroots levels.
CNN understands there are around 20 trans women who could be affected by this verdict, and they are all playing at the amateur level of the game.
The decision comes after the UK Supreme Court ruled last month that the legal definition of “women” excludes trans women in cases that are expected to affect trans women’s accommodation, such as bathrooms, wards and sports clubs.
The UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the definition of women in the Equality Act refers to “biological women and biological sex,” causing celebrations outside the court among campaigners such as gender, but that is a “worrisome” development for transgender people.
A few days before the April 16 ruling from the UK Supreme Court, the FA updated its policy on transgender women playing women’s soccer in order to keep their testosterone levels below 5.0 liters of blood from 12 months before the match and continue to participate afterwards.
In a statement Thursday, the FA said the previous policies that allowed trans women to play in women’s games were based on the principle of “making as many people as possible access to football,” and on the principles falling into laws outlined by UEFA and FIFA, the governing bodies of Europe and global football, respectively.
CNN reached out to FIFA, UEFA and LGBTQ activist group Athlete Alley for comment.
“This is a complicated subject and our position has always been that if there is a significant change in policy operation in law, science or grassroots football, we review it and change it as needed,” the FA said.
The announcement of the FA comes just days after Scottish counterparts ban transgender women from playing football from the beginning of the following season.
When contacted by CNN, LGBTQ activist group Stonewall called the FA and Scottish FA decisions “incredibly disappointing” and referenced previous support for the rainbow race campaign aimed at increasing inclusiveness in football.
“The (decision) took place too soon before the impact of the Supreme Court decision was resolved by lawyers and politicians or became law,” a Stonewall spokesperson said.
“Everyone who loves football, young and old are deeply plagued by their lack of participation in the game at all levels, and trans people need to remain protected under the law and be treated with dignity and respect.
“A rushed decision is not the answer before going through consultation and parliamentary processes that require changes to guidance without fully understanding what exactly is true.”
