FA offers trans women footballers therapy after banning them

The Football Association (FA) has offered trans footballers therapy and told them to become coaches or referees after banning them from playing women’s football.

Following last month’s UK Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman, the FA announced an outright ban on trans players. To add salt to the wound, the rule kicks in on the first day of Pride month. 

After banning transgender players in the women’s football division from participating in the sport, the FA has decided to offer six sessions of “online talking therapy” and recommended that they instead become referees or coaches. 

As per The i Paper, the FA emailed all registered trans players: “In the immediate aftermath of this news, to help support you through this, we have partnered with Sporting Chance to provide you with free, fully confidential, online talking therapy with specially selected therapists.”

The email continued: “You might be willing to consider moving your enjoyment of affiliated football into coaching or being a match official, we welcome that are there are routes to do this.”

The outlet claims that a “mixed football format [is] currently being developed”, but such programs are in the early stages, and the availability depends on location. Other options at this stage for trans women who want to continue the sport are to play in trans-inclusive teams like TRUK United FC or face discrimination and gender dysphoria by joining a men’s team.

The new rules have taken a turn from their previous trans inclusion policy, which allowed trans women to play in women’s football if their testosterone levels were lowered. The FA has said that there were around 20 trans women in amateur women’s football teams in England. There are not believed to be any trans women professional footballers in either England or Scotland.

The change follows the Scottish Football Association’s introduction of a ban on trans women, and similar moves in other sports, despite there being no definitive evidence to suggest that trans women have a definitive biological advantage. 

The FA said via a statement: “As the governing body of the national sport, our role is to make football accessible to as many people as possible, operating within the law and international football policy defined by UEFA and FIFA.

“Our current policy, which allows transgender women to participate in the women’s game, was based on this principle and supported by expert legal advice.

“This is a complex subject, and our position has always been that if there was a material change in law, science, or the operation of the policy in grassroots football, then we would review it and change it if necessary.”

If this story has affected you, call Mindline Trans+ on Fridays 8 pm-11 pm on 0300 330 5468. For emotional support, Mindline is available 24/7 on 01823 276 892.