English FA 'carefully reviewing' transgender policy

The English Football Association is "carefully reviewing" the decision made just weeks ago to allow transgender women to continue playing in women's football.

The FA has been taking legal advice since the landmark UK Supreme Court ruling two weeks ago that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex under equalities law.

Earlier on Tuesday, the BBC learned that the Scottish Football Association was set to ban transgender women from competing in women's football.

English football's governing body updated its rules earlier this month, but they could now be amended within days, BBC Sport has been told.

The FA has continued to allow biological males to compete in the women's game if they show low enough testosterone levels and they are assessed by a match observer.

The Scottish FA (SFA) has employed a similar approach, allowing transgender women to compete in their affirmed gender category on a case-by-case basis, with testosterone levels also taken into account.

But under new rules, from next season, only those born biologically female will be allowed to take part in competitive matches in the women's game north of the border.

The FA has now come under pressure to follow suit, as sports bodies react to the Supreme Court ruling.

Former FA Chairman Lord Triesman told The Telegraph that the Scottish FA had shown "wisdom" and "similar clarity from the FA is long overdue".

"The very idea that the FA can disregard the Supreme Court shows a foolhardy contempt for the law. Every passing day makes it worse" he said.

An FA Spokeswoman told the BBC: "We are carefully reviewing our policy and taking legal advice."

Last week, football anti-discrimination group Kick It Out said that the Supreme Court ruling would have "far-reaching consequences" in a statement expressing "solidarity with the trans community".

The SFA rule change will bring it into line with other sports such as rugby, swimming and athletics, which restrict women's competition to players that have not gone through male puberty.

Last week, transgender women were banned from the female category of Ultimate Pool Group, while snooker's governing body is reviewing its gender eligibility policy.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is also taking legal advice on its policy since the Supreme Court ruling.

It currently allows transgender women to play in tier three of the domestic structure, which comprises traditionally lower-level counties, and in recreational cricket.

World football's governing body Fifa has had an internal working group reviewing the eligibility issue for several years, calling it a "work in progress", and adding that it wants the game to be "safe and inclusive".

Campaigners wanting the FA to ban transgender women from the women's game protested before the England men's match against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley in November.

It was sparked by the banning of a teenage girl over remarks she made to a transgender opponent in a grassroots match.

However the FA's updated trans policy allows biological males to continue to participate in the women's game as if they meet reduced testosterone levels and pass "match observation" to evaluate if they present a risk to the safety of other players and fair competition.

Transgender women players must provide proof that they have been below the testosterone limit for at least 12 months, as well as a medical record of hormone therapy and an annual review of treatment.

However, a new formal process - which will involve a match observation by an FA official - will give the body the ability to remove or refuse a player's permission to play in the women's game.

Earlier this month, the FA said its updated process will give the governing body "ultimate discretion" over eligibility and it will be managed on a "case-by-case basis".

The FA says there are 20 transgender women registered to play amateur football in England among the millions who play at that level and there are none in the professional game across the Home Nations.

In December 2023, a group of 48 MPs signed a letter urging the Football Association to change its rules on transgender inclusion to "protect women and girls" in football.

That came after several teams reportedly withdrew from games against a recreational side in Yorkshire after a shot by a transgender player injured an opponent.

Sutton United women's team postponed a fixture against Ebbsfleet United in September 2024 through "an abundance of caution". It came after Sutton signed Blair Hamilton, a transgender goalkeeper.

The club made history in January 2024 by appointing Lucy Clark, the first openly transgender manager in British football.

In March, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the governing body was looking to "refine" its transgender policy but its current rules were "in the right place".