ICC Bans Transgender Women From International Women's Cricket | Common Sense Prevails

Well, "surprise, surprise!"

The International Cricket Council, using common sense and logic, became the latest world sports governing body to either outright ban transgender women from participating in women's sports, or at least participating in it. You and I can't pretend to not have seen this coming, because the matter had reached critical mass in terms of controversy.

For all the gobbledygook, techno-babble and pseudo-scientific jargon that was used to justify how feasible it was to include transwomen in women’s sports, it never really passed the smell test, even to the most ignorant of non-observers.

It became clear that when the international governing body for swimming FINA voted to restrict transgender athletes from competing, the horse bolted there. Other organisations, fearing “cancel culture”, had clearly been scared to take the initiative before this, and subsequently drawing courage from FINA’s actions by hardening their collective and figurative spines and following suit.

ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said according to BBC Sport:

"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."

The first openly transgender cricketer to play at the highest level of the women’s game, Danielle McGahey of Canada, responded by saying to BBC Sport:

"I have now read the new policy but I was informed by the ICC last week and they let me know what was about to occur. So I've been kept in the loop at all points. I don't have a lot to say currently but it's a tough decision to take. Obviously, processing it has been challenging as it marks the end of my international cricket career.

"It's obviously incredibly disappointing when I consider the implication it will have on young transgender women all across the world. I hope it does not dissuade anyone from chasing their dreams. Trans women belong in sport, and belong in cricket."

Every compassionate and empathic human being on the planet should feel for McGahey. However, if these organisations really claim to care about inclusivity, it is clear that a transgender category has to be created. Or participants remain in their biological categories. There is no other way, blud.

After all, you don’t see transgender men fighting to take on cisgender men in sports, do you? I can only imagine why…