A number of complaints have been filed to the league in Australia
A local football league in Australia has received a number of complaints for allowing a transgender athlete to compete in their competition.
Complaints have been filed by parents and players affiliated to the league after the player dominated the games they played in.
Additionally, there are reports that the athlete allegedly injured an opposition player during one of the games. According to the Daily Mail, the player injured had to seek medical attention as a result of the challenge.
Football New South Wales’ League One first received complaints when they confirmed that a transgender athlete would be allowed to play in the league as concerned parents questioned the legitimacy of the rules.
Kirralie Smith of Binary Australia explained that she had tried to speak to the league’s governing body on multiple occasions but was given no response.
“Football NSW has failed to answer the simple questions, ‘What is a woman?’ and ‘Why have a woman’s division if men can play in it,” Smith told the Daily Mail.
“They have failed in safeguarding fairness and safety for girls and women.”
However the league responded by confirming that they would “allow all players to participate in the competition which best represents their gender identity” and offer “training to better understand ‘lived experiences’ of transgender people.”
Football Australia meanwhile added that they would be “adopting the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Guidelines for “for the inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse people in sport to develop football’s own fit for purpose community guidelines.”
Related links:
- World Athletics excludes transgender women from women’s competition
- High school girls team forfeits tournament rather than playing against transgender player
- WBC President reveals plans to introduce transgender category for boxing
