World Rugby backs guideline against transgender women playing 'elite or international level' of women's game

World Rugby has approved updated transgender participation guidelines which states transgender women shouldn't be able to play women’s rugby at “elite or international level” due to safety concerns.

This morning’s announcement comes following “a comprehensive, collaborative and inclusive review of its existing guidance,” World Rugby said in a statement.

“As with many other sports, the physiological differences between males and females necessitate dedicated men’s and women’s contact rugby categories for safety and performance reasons.

“Given the best available evidence for the effects of testosterone reduction on these physical attributes for transgender women, it was concluded that safety and fairness cannot presently be assured for women competing against transwomen in contact rugby. 

“As a result, the new guidelines do not recommend that transwomen play women’s contact rugby on safety grounds at the elite and international level of the game where size, strength, power and speed are crucial for both risk and performance, but do not preclude national unions from flexibility in their application of the guidelines at the community level of the game.”

Dr Araba Chinto, who chaired the review, said it was concluded that a balance between safety, fairness and inclusion could not be provided for transwomen playing women’s contact rugby.

“This has been a complex and emotive process, but a necessary one,” Chinto said.

“We set out to determine whether it would be possible to maintain inclusion in contact rugby based on the available research and evidence and rugby’s unique context of combining strength, power, speed and endurance in a physical, collision environment.

“As we progressed through a comprehensive and inclusive review, it became clear that there are compelling evidenced safety considerations which we simply cannot ignore.

“Unions will be able to exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis at the community level of the game, for which the unions are responsible, while World Rugby will continue to prioritise inclusion strategies to ensure that the trans community remain an active, welcome and important member of the rugby family.”

World Rugby added transmen are permitted to participate in men’s contact rugby and that they would “regularly review” the new guidelines if new evidence surfaces.