The Welsh government has expressed “concern” over the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) ban on transgender women participating in female-only rugby games. In a letter obtained as part of a Freedom of Information request, the deputy sports minister and deputy minister for social partnership called for “inclusion” in decision-making for transgender participation in rugby. They criticized the WRU’s blanket exclusion of trans women and girls from rugby and questioned the need for a policy that does not start from a point of inclusivity or use a case-by-case approach.
The WRU introduced the ban in September 2022, citing “current medical and scientific evidence” and compliance with World Rugby guidance. The previous policy allowed transgender women to participate in the women’s game depending on the outcome of a thorough medical process including testosterone tests. The WRU has committed to an ongoing review of the policy as new evidence, research, and insights become available.
The Welsh government’s preferred position is to follow a case-by-case approach, rather than a blanket exclusion of transgender people. At a meeting in January 2023, the deputy sports minister expressed disappointment in the difference in treatment between trans men and trans women, with the then chief executive of the WRU citing safety concerns and following guidance from the sports councils and World Rugby. The question of legal liability was also raised, as the issue is considered a safety matter.
World Rugby was the first international sports federation to ban transgender women from competing at the elite and international level of the women’s game, with the Rugby Football Union following suit in July 2022. A transgender player has since mounted a legal challenge against the RFU’s decision. As the debate around transgender participation in sports continues, the Welsh government has called for a more inclusive and case-by-case approach in decision-making for transgender participation in rugby.