English soccer chiefs prohibit males from female`s match
(MENAFN) The Football Association (FA) of England has announced a new policy that will ban transgender women from participating in women’s football, following a recent ruling by the UK Supreme Court. The policy is set to take effect on June 1, 2025.
The FA explained that the decision was influenced by the April 15 Supreme Court verdict, which determined that for legal purposes, the term “woman” applies strictly to biological sex rather than gender identity. This ruling came in response to a challenge by the group ‘For Women Scotland’ against a Scottish law that aimed to increase female representation on public boards, including transgender women.
The participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports has sparked heated debate in recent years. Supporters of inclusion argue for gender identity recognition, while opponents stress the importance of fair competition and biological differences.
Currently, fewer than 30 transgender women are registered across millions of amateur players in England, and none are active in the professional women's game, according to the BBC, citing FA data.
The decision reverses an earlier FA stance, which allowed transgender women to compete in women’s football provided their testosterone levels remained below 5 nanomoles per liter for at least a year.
Scotland’s Football Association has also adopted the same ban, aligning with England’s new policy.
This move follows growing global scrutiny of transgender participation in women’s sports. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the victories of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei led to significant backlash over gender eligibility. Despite protests, both athletes competed and won gold medals, with the International Olympic Committee defending their inclusion.
The issue drew international political attention, including criticism from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who warned that allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports could have serious implications. Former U.S. President-elect Donald Trump also opposed the IOC's decision in the Khelif case.
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