England Hockey announced on Wednesday a new policy that will prohibit transgender women from competing in the female category from the start of next season.
To address transgender and non-binary participation, the governing body has introduced two competition categories: female and open, with the latter welcoming all participants, including transgender and non-binary players.
The review of the previous policy began in July 2023, incorporating guidance from the Sports Councils’ Equality Group. “Based on this evidence, we have determined that the Trans and Non-Binary Participation Policy should restrict trans participation in order to secure fair competition,” England Hockey stated.
“We are committed to supporting all affected players to ensure they find the right path for them to continue participating in hockey,” the organisation added.
The new policy, effective from September 1, aims to “ensure everyone can participate in the playing of hockey in a fair way.”
Several other sports bodies have recently implemented similar restrictions on transgender women’s participation in elite women’s events. The Lawn Tennis Association has banned transgender women from certain domestic tennis and padel tournaments, while the LPGA Golf Tour announced last month that transgender women who underwent male puberty would be ineligible to compete in the 2025 season.
Similarly, the England and Wales Cricket Board declared in October that players who underwent male puberty would be ineligible for top-tier women’s cricket from 2025
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