2024-11-22 11:35:18
A protest against the Football Association’s transgender inclusion policy took place outside Wembley Stadium before England’s match against the Republic of Ireland.
The demonstration on Sunday (17.11.24) followed the FA’s decision to suspend a teenage female footballer for comments made to a transgender opponent during a grassroots match.
It centred around on a 17-year-old who was banned for two matches, with four further matches suspended, after an FA panel found her guilty of discrimination.
She was reported by anti-discrimination group Kick It Out for repeatedly asking her opponent during the game: “Are you a man?”
The teenager denied being transphobic, claiming she had concerns about her safety and sought clarification from the referee regarding her opponent’s eligibility.
The FA defended its actions, citing the Equality Act 2010, which protects gender reassignment as a characteristic.
It stated: “This particular case was heard by an independent national serious case panel… if the details of the case had been limited to those currently in the public domain, it is highly likely that no sanction would have been issued at all.”
Protesters, estimated to number around 100, gathered under banners reading ‘No men in women’s sport’ and ‘Save women’s sport’.
One demonstrator said: “It’s a basic fairness and safety issue. This is a contact sport, and those male players who’ve gone through male puberty have a physical advantage.”
The FA’s transgender policy allows transgender women over 16 to play in the women’s game, provided their testosterone levels align with natal female ranges.
But critics argue that the policy does not adequately address concerns about fairness or safety.
Former FA chairman Lord Triesman criticised the ruling in the House of Lords, saying: “She seems to me to have been treated in a shabby way, and I do not intend to let it rest.”
The FA has stated its policy remains under review while it awaits further guidance from FIFA and UEFA.
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