NSW Police launch probe into ‘online harassment’ of trans soccer player dominating women’s league

NSW Police have launched a probe into “online harassment” of a transgender YouTuber dominating a women’s soccer league.

A number of parents have complained to Football NSW. Picture: Supplied

NSW Police have launched an investigation into an anti-trans campaigner for allegedly inciting “online harassment” against a transgender YouTuber who is currently dominating an elite women’s soccer league.

It comes amid numerous reports that parents of girls playing in the League One Women’s First Grade have complained to officials about injuries, after it emerged the competition’s top goal scorer this season was transgender.

The 30-year-old Inter Lions FC player, a well known transgender YouTube personality originally from the US, has scored seven goals in three games for the Concord-based team — but is listed on the official results page only as “Inter Player”.

The person’s name was removed in recent days after controversial anti-trans campaigner Kirralie Smith from Binary Australia urged her supporters to submit complaints to Football NSW and Football Australia.

According to Ms Smith, images of trans women have also recently been removed from official websites promoting the competition.

Nearly 2700 emails were sent to Football Australia and thousands more to Football NSW through the petition page on Binary Australia’s website, the ABC reported on Friday.

“Keep blokes out of women’s sport!” the since-deleted page read.

“Football Australia thinks it’s OK to have adult men playing against girls and women. Using this form, send your email message directly to the leaders of Football NSW, Football Australia and Football Mid North Coast and let them know, there’s no place for biological males in women’s sport. Please remember to be as respectful and courteous as possible when drafting/editing your email.”

Kirralie Smith from Binary Australia is under investigation for harassment.

Police launch investigation

On Friday, the ABC reported Ms Smith — a former anti-Islam political candidate turned anti-LGBT activist — was under investigation for “doxing”, or publishing private identifying information without consent, after at least five complaints were filed with NSW Police on behalf of different people.

“Officers attached to Burwood Police Area Command have commenced an investigation after receiving reports of online harassment aimed at a 30-year-old woman,” NSW Police confirmed in a statement to news.com.au on Monday. “Inquiries are ongoing.”

Ms Smith has been contacted for comment.

The ABC also reported that “other registered football participants (including players, coaches, and officials) who have commented, shared, or contributed to discriminatory posts on social media platforms will be investigated by the appropriate football authorities”.

“Punishments could include suspension from competitions as well as possible police charges,” the ABC report said.

Former basketballer Andrew Bogut and former Liberal Party candidate Katherine Deves, both high-profile critics of transgender issues, are among those who have spoken out against the Inter Lions player online.

‘My daughter is worried’

Last week, a father of one of the girls in the second-tier league told The Daily Telegraph many parents had spent a huge amount of time and money nurturing their daughters’ careers and were concerned about injuries.

“If you can’t protect our girls, the elite competition will fall apart,” he said.

“FIFA rules are that football has to be inclusive and safe, and having biological men in the matches makes it unsafe and unfair, which is not inclusive. My daughter is worried about her safety in an upcoming match in April after we’ve seen what’s happened, and may pull out.”

According to the newspaper, there are now at least five transgender women in the competition.

On Sunday, March 12, police were called proactively to a match involving the transgender player at Majors Bay Reserve in Concord after receiving information a protest was planned.

“No criminal offences were detected and any information regarding incidents that may have occurred on the pitch should be directed to the relevant clubs,” NSW Police said on Monday.

On Facebook, a page dedicated to discussing the National Premier Leagues blew up over the issue last week with hundreds of angry comments, most taking aim at Football NSW, according to The Daily Mail.

One person posted images of the Inter Lions player towering over much smaller female competitors. “Totally unfair for all the females in the competition,” the woman wrote. “So many players have gotten seriously injured because of this ridiculous situation.”

The 30-year-old is the season’s top goal scorer. Picture: Supplied

Trans inclusion policy

A spokesman for Football NSW on Monday declined to comment on whether the body had received any complaints from players or their families about injuries from transgender competitors.

He also did not say whether Football NSW had directly addressed any of the reported safety concerns with players or their families.

The spokesman instead referred to a statement released on Friday echoing Football Australia’s announcement of a “process to develop a transgender and gender-diverse high-performance inclusion policy”.

“Football prides itself on being the most multicultural, diverse, and inclusive sport in Australia,” the statement said.

“Football Australia is committed to living its values and in doing so creating environments where people of all experiences and identities, regardless of background, race, sexuality, or gender identity, feel welcome and encouraged to participate in the world game.”

The inclusion policy will be developed by a working group comprising football organisations across the country, in collaboration with the Australian Sports Commission “as well as several specialists and medical experts” to ensure it is “based on objective and relevant information, data and criteria”.

“Throughout the process, Football Australia will be delivering LGBTQI+ training and support resources to the football community through its partnership with Pride in Sport,” the statement said.

“The aim of this training will be to provide the Australian football community with a greater understanding of the lived experience of LGBTQI+ communities and their participation in sport.”

The Inter Lions FC player has scored seven goals in three games. Picture: Supplied

‘Level playing field’

Football Australia said it would also be adopting the Australian Human Rights Commission’s guidelines for the inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse people in sport “to develop football’s own fit for purpose community guidelines”.

“Football NSW endorses the approach of Football Australia and looks forward to working with the national governing body and other stakeholders,” Football NSW said.

The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 was amended in 2013 to include new protections against discrimination on the basis of “sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status”.

Section 42 of the Act, however, provides an exemption — commonly referred to as the “single-sex competition” exemption — that allows organisations to exclude persons on the ground of sex, gender identity or intersex status “from participation in any competitive sporting activity in which the strength, stamina or physique of competitors is relevant”.

If you publicly oppose Males participating in Female Sports, or using Female Toilets you will be labelled an extremist potentially charged.

Yet, rainbow mafia going to #letwomenspeak rallies and literally punching people and pouring things on organizers heads is not extremist https://t.co/twzK9fMxC9

— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) April 1, 2023

The Human Rights Commission’s guidelines note that “the words ‘strength’, ‘stamina’ and ‘physique’, and the term ‘competitive sporting activity’, are not defined in the Act” and their “meanings have not been conclusively settled by the Federal Court of Australia”.

“However, in considering an equivalent exemption in the Victorian legislation, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has stated that the exemption will operate if, when both sexes competed against each other, the competition would be uneven because of the disparity between the relative strength, stamina and physique of male and female competitors,” it said.

“This interpretation was approved by the Federal Court of Australia and the reasoning is likely to extend to people of different gender identities.”

The guidelines add, “The objective of the exemption is to restrict competitive sporting activity to people who can ‘effectively compete’ with each other. This is intended to recognise that ‘biological differences between men and women are relevant to competitive sporting activities’. It can be understood as ensuring a ‘level playing field’.”

[e-mail]

Originally published as NSW Police launch probe into ‘online harassment’ of trans soccer player dominating women’s league