The Canadian women’s cricket team at the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup is being called out for fielding a male-born cricket player who identifies as a woman to play as the opening batter for the international competition.
Former Olympic silver medalist Sharron Davies was among those criticizing the decision to qualify 29-year-old Danielle McGahey.
Davies called the move “utter madness” in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Utter madness. We’ve seen injuries here in the Uk against young girls caused by trans identifying males already,” wrote Davies.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), McGahey has fulfilled all of the criteria required to compete in a women’s category.
An Australian immigrant to Canada, McGahey first transitioned in Nov. 2020 and only began a medical transition in May 2021.
“I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do,” McGahey told BBC.
The ICC’s criteria for transgender competitors includes a “written and signed declaration” from a medical professional that the athlete’s “gender identity is female.”
“A lot of work with my doctor sending my medical information through to the ICC… they have a dedicated medical officer who looks over all of the information provided, and determines whether or not I have provided enough for an expert panel to make a decision,” said McGahey.
“The need to do blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge because when you are playing cricket you are travelling a lot.”
Transgender UK journalist Debbie Hayton also penned an op-ed in the Spectator arguing that McGahey should not be allowed to qualify for a women’s event due to the natural advantage the trans athlete has as a result of testosterone levels.
“Justin Trudeau’s Canada has, it seems, garnered a reputation for yielding to transgender ideology. Now, a Canadian woman has lost out, and the integrity of women’s cricket is at risk,” wrote Hayton.
“While other sports have woken up to the folly of allowing transwomen to compete in women’s sports, cricket has been asleep at the wheel. Over the past three years, rugby Union, athletics, swimming – and now even chess – have brought in new policies that protect female competitions for the female sex.”
