English Fa 'carefully Reviewing' Transgender Policy

The English Football Association is "carefully reviewing" nan determination made conscionable weeks agone to let transgender women to proceed playing successful women's football.

The FA has been taking ineligible proposal since nan landmark UK Supreme Court ruling 2 weeks ago that nan ineligible meaning of a female is based connected biologic activity nether equalities law.

Earlier connected Tuesday, the BBC learned that nan Scottish Football Association was group to prohibition transgender women from competing successful women's football.

English football's governing assemblage updated its rules earlier this month, but they could now beryllium amended wrong days, BBC Sport has been told.

That came conscionable days aft nan FA said it would proceed to let biologic males to compete successful nan women's crippled if they show debased capable testosterone levels and they are assessed by a lucifer observer.

The Scottish FA (SFA) has employed a akin approach, allowing transgender women to compete successful their affirmed gender class connected a case-by-case basis, pinch testosterone levels besides taken into account.

But nether caller rules, from adjacent season, only those calved biologically female will beryllium allowed to return portion successful competitory matches successful nan women's crippled northbound of nan border.

The FA has now travel nether unit to travel suit, arsenic sports bodies respond to nan Supreme Court ruling.

Former FA Chairman Lord Triesman told The Telegraph that nan Scottish FA had shown "wisdom" and "similar clarity from nan FA is agelong overdue".

"The very thought that nan FA tin disregard nan Supreme Court shows a foolhardy contempt for nan law. Every passing time makes it worse" he said.

An FA Spokeswoman told nan BBC: "We are cautiously reviewing our argumentation and taking ineligible advice."

Last week, shot anti-discrimination group Kick It Out said that nan Supreme Court ruling would person "far-reaching consequences" successful a connection expressing "solidarity pinch nan trans community".

The SFA norm alteration will bring it into statement pinch different sports specified arsenic rugby, swimming and athletics, which restrict women's title to players that person not gone done antheral puberty.

Last week, transgender women were banned from nan female class of Ultimate Pool Group, while snooker's governing assemblage is reviewing its gender eligibility policy.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is besides taking ineligible proposal connected its argumentation since nan Supreme Court ruling.

It currently allows transgender women to play successful tier 3 of nan home structure, which comprises traditionally lower-level counties, and successful recreational cricket.

Campaigners wanting nan FA to prohibition transgender women from nan women's crippled protested earlier nan England men's lucifer against nan Republic of Ireland astatine Wembley successful November.

It was sparked by nan banning of a teenage woman complete remarks she made to a transgender force successful a grassroots match.

However nan FA's updated trans argumentation allows biologic males to proceed to participate successful nan women's crippled arsenic if they meet reduced testosterone levels and walk "match observation" to measure if they coming a consequence to nan information of different players and adjacent competition.

Transgender women players must supply impervious that they person been beneath nan testosterone 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.

Earlier this month, nan FA said its updated process will springiness nan governing assemblage "ultimate discretion" complete eligibility and it will beryllium managed connected a "case-by-case basis".

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.

In December 2023, a group of 48 MPs signed a missive 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".