Rugby league joins swimming in barring transgender women from international competition
GuardianJun 21, 2022
The International Rugby League (IRL) announced that trans athletes are banned from competing in this year's women's rugby matches, including the World Cup.
The IRL will reportedly develop a new transgender inclusion policy, and "will seek to work with the eight Women's Rugby League World Cup 2021 finalists to obtain data" to finalize its inclusion program in 2023.
The IRL is following the bad example set by FINA. The notion that a 'woman' is defined as someone with a 'normal' testosterone level is nonsensical. These blanket bans on transgender athletes are discriminatory and completely disregard the marginalized trans community.
Trans athletes have no place in women's sports. Policies like these are necessary to save the integrity of sports and protect cisgender female athletes who are at risk of being left to compete for second place against trans competitors with an obvious biological advantage.