Danielle McGahey, a transgender Canadian cricket player, has ended her international career because the game’s controlling body said that players who had gone through male puberty could not play at the highest level in the women’s game.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) made its choice at a board meeting on Tuesday. It is similar to decisions made by the heads of swimming, rugby union, cycling, and running over the last couple of years.
An official statement from the ICC said, “The changes to the gender eligibility regulations are based on science and are in line with the core principles that were 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 rights groups say that not letting trans sports compete is abuse. Some people who are against transgender people being allowed to play women’s sports say that going through male puberty gives players a big muscle-and-bone edge that transition does not take away.
The ICC said that the decision would be looked at again in two years. The decision was made after nine months of debate and only affects international cricket.
McCahey, who was born in Australia and has played cricket for Canada in international games for more than a year, said that the fight for transgender people to be allowed to play in women’s sports would go on.
The 29-year-old wrote on Instagram, “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.”
You made me promise that I would never stop working for equality in our sport. We deserve to be able to play cricket at the highest level, and we are not a threat to the safety or purity of the sport. Do not stop fighting!”