Transgender women unable to compete in women’s football in Scotland next season
Transgender women will not be able to compete in women’s football in Scotland from next season, the PA news agency understands.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) is understood to have taken a final decision to update its policy following a UK Supreme Court ruling earlier this month.
The change, first reported by the BBC, will mean only players born biologically female will be able to play in competitive female football from under-13s upwards.
It is understood there are currently no transgender women registered as players in Scotland.
Trans women were eligible to play under the previous policy on a case-by-case basis and if they reduced their testosterone to approved levels.
The Football Association in England has yet to make any comment regarding its policy since the Supreme Court ruling was handed down on April 16.
The ruling clarified that Section 195 of the Equality Act which permits the lawful exclusion of athletes from gender-affected sports on the basis of sex was “plainly predicated on biological sex”.
The English FA still allows transgender women to compete against and alongside biological women, provided they meet reduced testosterone levels.
The governing body updated its existing transgender and non-binary inclusion policy shortly before the ruling was handed down, which included adding a formal process allowing it to exercise ultimate discretion to refuse or remove eligibility to players on grounds of safety or fairness.
The SFA decision follows an announcement last week that pool was moving to bar transgender women from its female category.
The Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) said the Supreme Court ruling was a factor, but it had also received a report confirming pool was a gender-affected sport.
The report was commissioned following a legal challenge by a group of female players.
On Monday, the PA news agency revealed that snooker’s world governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), was reviewing its policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Following publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) interim update, ministers have written to the EHRC to ask them to confirm that they agree that no public body, service provider or other association should issue specific guidance before the EHRC Code of Practice and guidance is finalised.
“As the enforcer and regulator of the Equality Act all organisations must consider and comply with the EHRC revised Code of Practice and guidance to ensure there is a consistent and clear understanding of the correct application of the law for all involved in this complex area.
“It is essential that there are options for everyone to lead active lives, and to participate in an enjoyable, safe and fair sporting environment.”