The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has changed its transgender participation policy, which will now limit the participation of transgender women in the top two tiers of the new women’s domestic structure and the Women’s Hundred. The policy change is the same as the International Cricket Council’s decision last year which banned a person who had reached male puberty from participating in women’s international matches.

The ECB said on Thursday the new changes would bring consistency as the aim of the highest levels of domestic cricket is to produce cricketers for the national teams. He also added that in making the changes he “considered the interplay between equity, safety and inclusion.”

“The consultation process was extended last year following the International Cricket Commission’s (ICC) decision to move to a model in which eligibility for women’s international cricket will be determined by whether an individual has or not undergone male puberty,” the ECB said in its press release.

“Having considered the different views gathered during the consultation, as well as during the consultations carried out in 2023, as well as the relevant scientific and medical evidence, the ECB has decided that from 2025 it will adopt the same approach as the ICC for women’s professional domestic cricket. This ensures consistency, given that one of the main aims of the top of the national structure is to produce international players.

“The detailed policy will now be developed over the coming months, in consultation with stakeholders, and is expected to be formally put in place in time for the 2025 domestic season. It will apply to levels 1 and 2 of the new national structure women’s competition from 2025, as well as The Hundred Women’s competition.

Doors open to level 3

The ECB also confirmed that Level 3 of the new domestic system which will be rolled out in 2025 and recreational cricket will allow players to participate in the gender they identify.

“The ECB is striving to become the most inclusive team sport, and recreational cricket and Tier 3 of the national structure – which includes the national counties – will continue to use the existing social model, in which individuals are accepted in the gender they identify with. A disparity policy is already in place to ensure safety, allowing clubs and leagues across the country to address the disparity between players participating in a match well above or below their abilities where there is a risk of serious injury, whatever their level. gender,” added the ECB.

What was the previous policy?

The ECB’s previous policy allowed a transgender woman to participate in women’s professional matches if cleared by the board. Permission was granted on a case-by-case basis.

The ECB is taking a different path to Cricket Australia

The latest policy is also in direct conflict with what Cricket Australia follows. According to CA policy, a trans woman must maintain her serum testosterone concentration below 10 nanomoles per liter continuously for 12 months or more in order to compete in women’s cricket at the professional level.