In an interview with Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley stated that the organization will prioritize inclusion over science when deciding whether transgender players can compete in the women’s game.
Last month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) ruled that any player who had been through male puberty would not be able to compete in the international women’s game, following similar rulings in other sports.
Despite this ruling, Cricket Australia still dictates who can play in all domestic competitions, and Hockley stated that the organization would adhere to the rules it put in place four years ago.
Hockley expressed pride in the transgender guidelines put in place in 2019, which were based on the philosophy of inclusion. He also mentioned that the ICC guidelines take a more scientific approach, but Cricket Australia believes that inclusion should be the priority.
The ICC stated that the ruling would be reviewed after two years. Transgender advocacy groups argue that excluding trans athletes amounts to discrimination, while critics of transgender inclusion in women’s sport argue that male puberty gives athletes a significant physical advantage.
According to Cricket Australia’s rules, transgender players can compete in the elite domestic women’s game if they have maintained low testosterone levels for 12 months. The rules for community women’s cricket have a simpler requirement – demonstrating consistency in gender identity.
Hockley clarified that the impact of the ICC ruling on Australia is currently hypothetical, as there are no transgender cricketers in the country aiming to play international cricket.
“We will continue to work closely with the ICC to express our views,” he said. “I think we need to be really inclusive and we also need to be very mindful of player wellbeing and mental health considerations as well.”
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
