The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced stringent regulations preventing transgender women from participating in international women’s cricket, citing a commitment to preserving the sport’s integrity and ensuring player safety. With a focus on fairness and inclusion, this decision aims to uphold the fundamental spirit of women’s cricket.

The established guidelines, centering on game integrity, safety, and inclusivity, will undergo a thorough review within a two-year timeframe.According to the eligibility criteria, individuals assigned male at birth, undergoing male puberty, regardless of subsequent gender-affirming procedures, will not qualify for international women’s cricket.

After an extensive nine-month consultation process, the ICC board, which includes England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Richard Thompson, finalized these gender eligibility rules. This pivotal decision underscores a commitment to fairness and the preservation of competitive spirit in women’s cricket.

“The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and are 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,” stated ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice.

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Importantly, these regulations exclusively apply to the international sphere of women’s cricket, allowing each national cricket governing body autonomy in determining domestic gender eligibility.

The England and Wales Cricket Board, for instance, advocates for the acceptance of transgender women based on their self-identified gender, emphasizing inclusivity and individual recognition within their stance.

To address safety concerns related to differences in speed, strength, or skill among players, a “disparity policy” has been introduced. This mirrors the approach taken by World Athletics in March, which barred individuals who experienced male puberty from participating in female world ranking events. The new international cricket policy aligns with this decision, aiming to ensure fairness and safety within the sport.