International Gay Rugby addresses trans & non-binary rugby-playing community

International Gay Rugby (IGR) has directly addressed the transgender and non-binary rugby-playing community with the message ‘You will always be welcome to play rugby’, following reports that ongoing work to update World Rugby guidelines would exclude transgender women from the game.

Following a meeting of stakeholders from across the sporting world in February 2020, attended by IGR, a first draft of revised guidelines for transgender athletes in rugby has been circulated to National Unions for feedback. This draft was supposed to remain confidential, however it was leaked to a news outlet by an unknown source.

IGR has stated proposed guidelines, if implemented, would introduce significant barriers to entry for transgender athletes when compared to the current policy adopted in 2019. The change, it says, is based on studies of transgender people who have athletic training that is not specific to rugby experience. The proposal does state that World Rugby is willing to fund extra research in this area.

IGR goes on to say that, in general, the proposal seeks to implement an irrational standard without suitable research. These guidelines, geared towards elite rugby players, will, according to IGR, significantly affect amateur rugby players, who comprise the overwhelming majority of rugby participants in the world.

The proposal also contains commitments to work towards an ‘open’ category of mixed-gender rugby union. IGR has stated it is firmly opposed to any measures based on a ‘fundamentally flawed’ Separate but Equal principle that would exclude transgender athletes from playing contact rugby. IGR has stated it will continue to actively work to keep transgender athletes’ boots on the pitch.

Karl Ainscough-Gates, chair of IGR, said: ‘It’s very surprising to see the restrictive turn that this review of the guidelines has taken, especially with the lack of research that has been conducted.

‘Rugby has always been a sporting role model for diversity and inclusion.We will be working with World Rugby to uphold those commitments and ensure that rugby remains a welcoming and open environment to transgender athletes.

‘To anyone transgender or non-binary who is doubting whether rugby is a sport for them after reading these reports, our message is very clear – Come and play rugby with us! You will always be welcome in IGR.’

IGR is calling on World Rugby to immediately repudiate and disavow the proposed change in policy, which it states goes against the principles of the 2018 agreement –an agreement that was brought about after an inclusive planning process involving Megan Anyadwe and Verity Carl Smith who represented IGR. IGR also calls on World Rugby to recommit to the existing agreement and to move forward with IGR as full partners.

For more info on IGR, visit their website.