Transgender women will be unable to feature in the top two tiers of the new women’s domestic structure or the women’s Hundred competition, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced.
An updated transgender policy mirrors last year’s decision from the International Cricket Council, which banned anyone who has gone through male puberty from taking part in women’s international games.
In prohibiting transgender women from playing in women’s professional domestic cricket, the ECB said it had consulted “relevant science and medical evidence” and considered “fairness, safety and inclusion”.
However, the ECB confirmed tier three of the new domestic system which is set to launch next year, plus recreational cricket, will welcome individuals in the gender with which they identify.
It comes with the caveat of an already-established ‘disparity policy’, which covers anyone with an appreciable strength, stamina and/or physique advantage that could cause a safety or fairness issue.
A statement from the ECB, which will roll out the new policy in time for the 2025 domestic season, said: “Considerable time has been taken to reach this policy position.
“The ECB recognises that transgender participation is a complex area, with many strongly held views, and it is impossible to balance all the considerations.
“We want everyone to feel included and welcome in our sport, and believe the position reached strikes an appropriate balance by ensuring fairness in the elite game while ensuring inclusivity at a recreational level, with specific safeguards in place to manage disparities and ensure safety.”
Transgender athletes have been banned from taking part in elite women’s competitions in other sports such as swimming, cycling, athletics, rugby league and rugby union.
The ECB’s existing policy dictated that anyone identifying as female could compete in professional club and England pathway teams, so long as they had written clearance.
Speaking about the ECB’s update, Dr Seema Patel, an associate professor at Nottingham Law School, said: “Recognising the importance of participation at the community and grassroots level is incredibly positive.”
Patel, who was on the Cricket Discipline Commission panel which looked into the Yorkshire racism scandal, added: “Having extensively examined gender eligibility for 20 years, my research identifies that there is a trend towards ineligibility for trans female athletes competing in the female category, based upon notions of biological advantage, safety and fairness.
“However, there is inconsistency in the application of this approach and the effectiveness of a ban in the long term is not yet clear. During the consultation processes adopted by governing bodies, there needs to be true engagement of a diverse range of views beyond the science community to determine rules.
“It is important to set regulatory boundaries but these need to be considered alongside a shifting environment where gender diversity is embedded within our society and identity is evolving.”
The ECB’s new rules do not extend to the grassroots game, which has been criticised by the human rights charity Sex Matters.
Fiona McAnena, the charity’s director of campaigns, told the Telegraph: “The message to women and girls from the ECB seems to be that unless you’re a top player, you don’t get fair play.”
