After a significant modification to the ICC’s gender eligibility rules, Danielle McGahey—who made history earlier this year as the first transgender player to appear in an international cricket match—will no longer be permitted to play in women’s international matches.
Regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undergone, players who have undergone male puberty and have transitioned from male to female will not be permitted to play in women’s international cricket under the new regulations, which were approved by the ICC board on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old batter, McGahey, is originally from Australia. However, in 2020, he relocated to Canada, and in 2021, he had a medical change from male to female. She participated for Canada in the Women’s T20 Americas Qualifier in September 2023, which served as a qualifying event for the 2024 T20 World Cup. She has participated in six Twenty20 Internationals thus far, amassing 118 runs at a 19.66 average and a 95.93 strike rate.
McGahey played two T20Is against Brazil Women’s captain Roberta Moretti Avery, whose team she recorded a top of 48 against. While she appreciated the ICC’s decision, Avery called the timing “unfortunate”.
“It’s a decision that appears to have been made by the ICC in good faith with the benefit of the most recent scientific advice,” Avery stated to ESPNcricinfo. “Having said that, I find the decision’s timing to be somewhat unfortunate.
According to the regulations in place at the time, Danielle McGahey was permitted to participate in the most recent World Cup qualifier. She was thus the target of a great deal of hostility from strangers who were unaware of her hardships and her arduous journey.
“It is regrettable that this choice was taken after the fact, when Danielle’s expectations were heightened and after she had already been subjected to intense criticism and scrutiny. A community’s hopes were raised by the ICC, but it appears that those hopes have already been shattered.”
Captain of Brazil’s women’s team Roberta Moretti Avery
She had a legitimate expectation that she would be permitted to participate in upcoming games, as did her teammates. Therefore, it’s regrettable that this choice was made after the fact, after Danielle’s expectations had been inflated and after she had already been subjected to a great deal of harassment and scrutiny. It can’t be beneficial to anyone’s mental state. A community’s hopes were raised by the ICC, but it appears that those hopes have already been crushed.”
The sport’s stakeholders were consulted for nine months before the ICC finalized the new guideline. “It is based on the following principles (in order of priority), protection of the integrity of the women’s game, safety, fairness and inclusion,” the board said in a press release. “The regulations will be reviewed within two years.”
Geoff Allardice, CEO of the ICC, said: “Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players.”
For the time being, solely gender eligibility for international women’s cricket is the subject of the evaluation, which was headed by the Dr. Peter Harcourt-chaired ICC medical advisory group. “The gender eligibility at domestic level is a matter for each individual Member board, which may be impacted by local legislation,” the International Cricket Council stated.
