In Sunday’s Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series Event 2 in the UK, a trans-identified male defeated a trans-identified male to clinch the women’s pool tournament final and £1,800.
Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith met for the final match, each having defeated four female opponents to get there, per Fox News. Haynes ultimately defeated Smith for the title.
Event 2 is one of eight events held by Ultimate Pool in 2025, with the winner of each event receiving the £1,800 prize. The second-place finisher receives £900.
The English Pool Association (EPA), which is the sport's governing body for pool in England, states that it "wishes to try, as far as is possible, to permit trans people to compete in their affirmed gender while balancing this with its role in providing fair play and competition and protecting the integrity of women’s, men’s and mixed competitions." The EPA does not restrict those who wish to compete in women’s divisions.
The World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF), the international governing body for pool, states that biological males who wish to compete in the women’s division must demonstrate lowered testosterone levels for at least 12 months prior to their first competition, and cannot change their gender identity for sporting purposes for a period of four years.
The WEPF’s restrictions on trans-identifying males were released in October 2023, after the body said in August 2023 that was going to update its guidelines to allow only those who were "born female" into women’s competitions.
"We understand that this decision may prompt questions and discussions within our sport. We want to emphasize that our commitment to upholding the values of sportsmanship, inclusivity, and adherence to regulatory standards remains unwavering. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the continued growth and development of the sport we all love, while maintaining a harmonious balance between inclusivity and the integrity of competition. We recognize the importance of fostering an environment where everyone can participate and thrive, and we remain dedicated to upholding these principles to the best of our ability," the WEPF said at the time.
