(Sports news) The rugby league’s governing body has banned transgender players from women’s internationals while it does further research on it’s inclusion policy. The move comes after Fina banned transgender women from competing in women’s elite races if they have gone through male puberty. Moreover, World Athletics president Lord Coe has also hinted that they could also follow suit and adopt a new eligibility policy to ensure that every athlete is competing in a level playing field. 

The International Rugby League said that “recent developments in world sport” has led to their conclusion to ban "male-to-female (transwomen) players" until a final inclusion policy is framed after due research. A statement released by the organisation said “It is the IRL's responsibility to balance the individual's right to participate – a long-standing principle of rugby league and at its heart from the day it was established – against perceived risk to other participants, and to ensure all are given a fair hearing. The IRL will continue to work towards developing a set of criteria, based on best possible evidence, which fairly balances the individual's right to play with the safety of all participants.”

Anna Brown, CEO of Equality Australia criticised the move by saying “Blanket bans on women who are trans playing against other women risks violating international human rights principles of non-discrimination, which require such policies to start from a place of inclusion. Fina (swimming's world governing body) failed to meet that standard, and the rugby league's ban also fails to do so, despite it being temporary." Many sports have begun reconsidering their inclusion policies after the International Olympic Committee said that participation policies governing transgender athletes should be determined by each sport – depending on its particular characteristics.

Also read: Fina bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s events