Cricket Australia won’t change rules after ICC bans trans women

Cricket Australia says its participation guidelines for trans cricketers won’t alter after the ICC made a shock change to its rules.

Cricket Australia will stand firm in allowing transgender women to compete at the elite level after the ICC effectively banned their participation in international women’s cricket.

Trans women will still be able to play in the WBBL and at state level under existing guidelines introduced by CA in 2019.

The international governing body, which met in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, announced a new policy effective immediately that would prevent trans women from competing at the elite women’s level if they had been through male puberty.

“Any male to female participants who have been through any form of male puberty will not be eligible to participate in the international women’s game regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken,” an ICC board statement read.

The change spells the end of the international career of Australian-born Canadian cricketer Danielle McGahey, who became the first trans player to reach the elite level in October 2022.

Cricket Australia will not tighten rules on trans participation in women’s cricket following the decision by the ICC to ban trans women from the international level. Picture: Matt King / Getty Images

CA said on Wednesday it would continue to encourage the participation of transgender players at community level in the category they felt most comfortable and would not alter its current regulations for the top levels.

Elite domestic cricket in Australia has no requirements regarding the age of transition for trans players, but they must demonstrate a testosterone concentration of less than 10 nanomoles per litre continuously for 12 months or more to play.

These rules have not yet been applied to any athlete, as Australian professional cricket has not dealt with a trans player.

“Australian cricket continues to have its own policy in place for domestic cricket which establishes a framework for the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse players balancing considerations such as inclusion and fairness and the wellbeing and safety of athletes,” a CA spokesperson said.

“Our community guidelines prioritise participation and our mission of being a sport for all.”

McGahey, 29, said she was shattered to call time on her international career with Canada as a result of the changes.

Australian-born Canadian cricketer Danielle McGahey has hit back at the ICC’s decision to change its rules on trans participation that have ended her international career. Picture: Justin Vallejo

“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. As quickly as it begun, it must now end,” McGahey wrote on social media.

“While I hold my opinions on the ICC’s decision, they are irrelevant. What matters is the message being sent to millions of trans women today, a messaging saying that we don’t belong.

“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.”

McGahey played six matches for Canada, including T20 World Cup qualifiers for the Americas region in which Canada was unsuccessful.

She posted 118 runs in six matches at an average of 19.66, with a top score of 48 against Brazil.

Brazilian captain Roberta Avery told ESPN Cricinfo the timing of the ICC’s decision was “unfortunate”, as it appeared to target McGahey specifically.

“That can’t be good for anyone’s mental health. The ICC lifted the hopes of a whole community and it feels like those hopes have now been dashed,” Avery said.

ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said: “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.”