In a major policy decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday barred cricketers, who have been through any form of male puberty, from competing in international women’s game regardless of whether or not they have undergone surgery or gender reassignment treatment.
“This means any Male to Female participants who have been through any form of male puberty will not be eligible to participate in the international women’s game regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken,” the board said.
“The new regulations prioritize safeguarding the integrity of women’s cricket, along with ensuring safety, fairness, and inclusion,” stated the ICC in their release.
Geoff Allardice, the ICC Chief Executive, emphasized that these changes in gender eligibility rules were a result of extensive consultations and are scientifically grounded, aligning with the core principles established during the review.
“While inclusivity remains crucial for our sport, our foremost aim was to uphold the integrity of international women’s cricket and ensure the safety of all players,” he added.
Following International Cricket Council’s (ICC) ban on transgender cricketers from international cricket, Danielle McGahey – who made history earlier this year as the first transgender player to appear in an international cricket match has announced retirement from international cricket.
The 29-year-old Australian-born Canadian player took to Instagram to share the news with the world.
Mcgahey had participated in six WT20Is for Canada during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier in September 2023. She scored 118 runs with an average of 19.66, achieving a top score of 48 against Brazil Women.