Transgender woman Danielle McGahey's international cricket career with the Canadian women's team appears to be over after the ICC announce a new set of gender eligibility guidelines
Wednesday 22 November 2023 12:41, UK
Transgender cricketer Danielle McGahey has brought an end to her international career after the game's governing body said any player who had been through male puberty would not be able to compete in the women's game at the elite level.
The International Cricket Council (ICC)'s decision, made at a board meeting on Tuesday, follows similar rulings over the last couple of years by the global chiefs of swimming, rugby union, cycling and athletics.
The ICC said in a statement: "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."
Transgender advocacy groups say excluding trans athletes amounts to discrimination.
Critics of transgender inclusion in women's sport say going through male puberty imbues athletes with a huge musculo-skeletal advantage that transition does not mitigate.
The ICC said the ruling, which followed a nine-month consultation process and applies only to international cricket, would be reviewed after two years.
Australian-born McGahey, 29, who played grade cricket with men in Melbourne before moving to Canada in February 2020, said the campaign for transgender inclusion in women's sport would continue.
McGahey took to Instagram after the ICC's new guidelines for gender eligibility ended her international career.
"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," she wrote.
"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. Never stop fighting!"
McGahey became the first transgender player to take part in an official international match when she played in all six of Canada's matches during the Women's T20 World Cup Americas region qualifiers.
McGahey made 118 runs at 19.67 with a top score of 48 as Canada missed out on qualification after finishing second in the four-team event.
