Club statement on ECB Transgender Women ban

Everyone at Mersey Rose Recreationals is deeply disappointed by the decision announced today by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to ban transgender women from participating in women’s cricket.

For some time, the ECB has had well-considered and fair-minded policies in relation to the inclusion of transgender women in recreational cricket. These policies were tried, tested and worked. Adoption of a sensible disparity policy prevented situations in which players’ safety could be compromised. Transgender women were able to play in women’s cricket without adverse incident, with many clubs and players welcoming moves that allowed transgender women to participate fully in cricket and make positive contributions to the game.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that the ECB’s previous policy endangered player safety. Neither was there any evidence that ECB-affiliated clubs or their members were opposed to the policy.

The ECB itself has often, rightly, pointed out that playing cricket has a positive impact on both physical and mental health. Many players find a sense of community, identity and purpose in the game of cricket. In excluding an entire group on the basis of gender identity, the ECB has distanced itself from those of us within the game who are determined to create an environment of inclusion, in which everyone can be their authentic selves.

The ECB has long claimed to promote cricket for all. Its Raising the Game initiative ostensibly exists to promote cricket as “a game for everyone”. This decision calls into question the ECB’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, standing in direct contradiction to the ECB’s own supposed principles.

The ECB’s statement on its website does not state how many transgender cricketers are registered to play cricket in England and Wales. It will almost certainly be significantly fewer that the 20 transgender women who are registered to play football with the FA. The ECB’s decision, therefore, would appear to be – at best – at attempt at finding a solution to a problem that does not exist.

The ECB states that its decision is “based on the updated legal position following the recent Supreme Court ruling”. This attempt to absolve itself of responsibility for its own discriminatory actions is cowardly and disingenuous. As the ECB makes clear elsewhere in its own statement, it is currently “await[ing] updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)”. There was no need for the ECB to pre-empt what the EHRC’s guidance may be or to act in advance of that guidance being published.

The ECB states that “with immediate effect, only those whose biological sex is female will be eligible to play in women’s cricket and girls’ cricket matches.” The ECB omits to note that a significant weakness of both the Supreme Court ruling and the EHRC’s interim guidance is that neither defines “biological sex”.  More significantly, in making a sudden decision without meaningful consultation with transgender women involved in cricket – or even with clubs and players more widely – the ECB has acted without transparency.

This decision is a knee-jerk response by the ECB, and one that will have wider consequences. Our own club is no stranger to transphobic abuse, and decisions like this will only serve to embolden transphobia and intolerance.

Mersey Rose Recreationals had planned to affiliate to Lancashire County Cricket Board - and therefore, by extension, the ECB – in 2025. As this decision stands in direct opposition to our own values, we do not feel that affiliation can be an option for us at this time.

Our club will continue to champion cricket for everyone in a way that the ECB is clearly unable to. We remain committed to creating a supportive and welcoming environment for all, irrespective of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. Transgender people have always been, and always will be, welcome at Mersey Rose Recreationals.