The International Cricket Council (ICC) declared, during a board meeting on Tuesday, that individuals who have undergone male puberty would be ineligible to participate in women’s cricketat the elite level.This decision aligns with similar rulings in recent years by the global governing bodies of sports such as swimming, rugby union, cycling and athletics.
The ICC said in a statement: “The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and is founded in science and aligned with the core principles developed during the review.
“Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players.”
Transgender advocacy organizations argue that the exclusion of trans athletes constitutes discrimination. Those critical of including transgender individuals in women’s sports contend that undergoing male puberty provides athletes with a significant musculoskeletal advantage that transitioning does not fully address.
The ICC stated that the decision, reached after a nine-month consultation process and specifically applicable to international cricket, would undergo a review after two years.
McGahey, a cricketer born in Australia who has represented Canada in international cricket for over a year, expressed that the push for transgender inclusion in women’s sports would persist.
“Following the ICC’s decision this morning, it is with a very heavy heart that I must say that my international cricketing career is over,” the 29-year-old wrote in an Instagram post.
“I promise I will not stop fighting for equality for us in our sport, we deserve the right to play cricket at the highest level, we are not a threat to the integrity or safety of the sport. Never stop fighting!”
(With Reuters inputs)
