A teenage soccer player in the UK was given a six-game suspension after questioning whether her adult transgender opponents were men. The girl, who turned 18 last September, was charged by her county’s Football Association after asking the referee something along the lines of, “Ref, have you checked if all of their players are eligible to play? Look at their ‘keeper and for example their number 10 is obviously a man.'”
As a result, she was banned for six matches, with two suspended after accepting the charge under FA rules, which allow biological male players to compete in women’s matches. She was also required to complete an “online education course” and received seven disciplinary points from her club.
According to Telegraph Sport, the girl has ADHD and learning disabilities. She required assistance to provide a written statement during the investigation, in which she explained that she was seeking guidance from the referee due to the “extremely aggressive” playing style of her transgender opponent. She also noted that she had not taken her ADHD medication that day due to another medical condition.
The investigation stemmed from a complaint by the opposing team, which claimed she told non-transgender players, “This is a man.” The alleged comment came after the referee threatened to remove her from the game if she continued to question him about the situation.
The teenager told Telegraph Sport that the ban “kind of made me hate football.” She added, “If I say anything else, I get another six-game ban. So I can’t even stand up for myself at this point.”
The incident comes after a similar case that involved a 17-year-old girl with suspected autism. The girl faced a 12-match ban for asking an adult transgender opponent, “Are you a man?” She denied a discrimination charge and in November was banned for six games, with four suspended.
The issue has gained political attention, with former FA chairman Lord Triesman previously writing to the FA about the suspensions. It also sparked protests by campaigners outside England matches at Wembley and Bramall Lane.
Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters, condemned the FA’s actions, stating, “It’s disgraceful that another teenage girl has been suspended for daring to challenge the presence of a male player in a women’s game. The FA has punished her for asking a question that matters for her own safety, and for fairness for all girls. Sending her for mandatory ‘re-education’ won’t solve this.”
