'Concern' over WRU trans women ban in female-only games

Welsh ministers wrote to the Welsh Rugby Union expressing "concern" about its ban on transgender women competing in female-only games.

Their letter stated "inclusion" should be the "starting point" for decisions on transgender people's participation in any part of society.

Introducing the ban in September 2022, the WRU said it was based on "current medical and scientific evidence".

The WRU said it was also in line with World Rugby guidance.

The Welsh government's deputy sports minister, Dawn Bowden, and deputy minister for social partnership, Hannah Blythyn, wrote that their "preferred position was to follow a case-by-case approach, rather than a blanket exclusion of transgender people".

The WRU's previous policy allowed for participation in the women's game for transgender women depending on the outcome of a thorough medical process including testosterone tests prior to registration to play.

The WRU said it was committed to an ongoing review of the policy as new evidence, research and insights become available.

In the letter, dated October 2022 and obtained as part of a Freedom of Information request by BBC Cymru Wales, Ms Bowden and Ms Blythyn said: "We are concerned by the blanket exclusion of trans women and girls from rugby that your policy recommends.

"It would be useful to understand why the WRU feels it needs a policy of this nature, one that does not start from a point of inclusivity or use a case-by-case approach, and why at this time, given there are no registered transgender players in the community game in Wales."

"It would also be useful to know why the policy has a different approach for the treatment of trans men and trans women."

The deputy sports minister also raised the issue at a meeting with WRU officials in January 2023, when according to the minutes she said the Welsh government was "disappointed in the difference in treatment between trans men and trans women".

The then chief executive of the WRU, Steve Phillips, replied that "they had followed the guidance form the sports councils and World Rugby and that the issue centred around safety".

The question of the WRU's legal liability was also raised given that it was considered as a safety issue and that might make it difficult for them to change the approach.

The minutes state that it was agreed that "officials would look into this".

World Rugby was the first international sports federation to say transgender women cannot compete at the elite and international level of the women's game.

In July the Rugby Football Union banned transgender women from competing in female-only contact rugby.

Transgender player Julie Curtiss this month mounted a legal challenge against the RFU's decision.