Priti Patel says ECB "shameful" allowing trans cricketer to play 12 year old girls

[flyingbuttress43]

Sorry if this is on a thread already but can't see it...
www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/02/19/ecb-allowing-trans-woman-play-against-12-year-old-girls-shameful/

The former Home Secretary has condemmned the England and Wales Cricket Board for allowing a transgender cricketer to compete against 12 year old girls.

Extracts below from the article in the DT's sports section today.

"This is shameful," said Patel, a life member of the MCC. "The safety of women and girls should never be compromised.....

"The only way is to make female teams for those born female and no one else."

Patel's view was echoed by Baroness Foster, the Conservatives' former deputy leader in the European Parliament, who said: "Astonishing. That the ECB could even think there are no risks is beyond me."

Prof David Paton of Nottingham University, who writes widely on the economics of cricket and advised the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, called for immediate action. "Please ECB, sort this out urgently."

Prof Ross Tucker, the South African born sports scientist instrumental in persuading World Rugby to ban transgender athletes from female competition, the ECB position was cause for alarm.

"If you allow males into women's sport, then adults into kids' sport is similar, conceptually, and so is adult males into girls' sport. You get more of what you permit."

Fiona McAnena, Fair Play for Women's director of sport, said: "This story has touched a nerve because of the impact on girls. Women are expected to make way for others, but the clear conflict between the wishes of the trans player and the rights of girls to play shows there's a problem that shouldln't be ignored."

Several parents have threatened to withdraw their daughters from their league in protest.

Apparently the trans player involved is known to have caused injuries - inadvertently - although the article doesn't make it clear when or where these injuries were caused.

correction "condemned"

I just read that too and came here to see if anyone else had. Not just a man, but an adult man at that. I'd definitely be taking my young DD out of that!

This might be the only thing I've ever agreed with Patel about.

I should think so too!

What? How old are they?

citing worrying inequalities in batting, bowling and throwing power between young girls and a middle-aged adult who was born male.

Middle aged?? Hes fucking middle aged???

I read that the girls are 12 year olds.

So they are letting a middle aged man play against 12yo girls? What the hell??

"If you allow males into women's sport, then adults into kids' sport is similar, conceptually, and so is adult males into girls' sport. You get more of what you permit."

This is a good quote from Ross Tucker. He is bang on point.

I can’t read the full article, but DH often picks girls and juniors to play in his team, it’s not uncommon as a way of developing up and coming players. Not sure any are as young as 12 mind you. Is there a non-paywalled link anywhere that explains why this is different to standard practice at clubs already?

Ah, I’ve found an archived link. So it’s because they’re playing in a women’s league.

Yeah, I understand the under-13 girls are choosing to playing in an any-age women's league.

But as in many areas that's no longer a permitted choice - if you're willing to face adult women, you also have to face adult men who say they're women.

A ridiculous situation that should have been nipped in the bud when Kent chose a man as woman player of the year, so insulting. Hopefully Priti Patel's intervention will give the female players courage to complain.

Just wondering what kind of middle aged male person wants to put 12 year old girls in danger.

Call me old fashioned, but if I was causing children injuries (plural) then even if it was 'inadvertently' I would do all I could to stop causing injuries right away.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

I'm aware it's not funny and it's awful that he's caused injuries, but I can't help thinking of this

Mediocre men sad about their sporting inadequacy aren't women any more than other men.

Ok so I have some knowledge of this because my daughter is 13 and plays cricket.

She plays against males including adult males in cricket because she is good enough, she is on the girls county cricket pathway .

This male is playing against girls on a woman's team which is what is ridiculous.

Just because some women and girls are outliers and can cope with playing with males in a men's team it doesn't mean that it is fair for a male to play on a female league, especially not at club level.

Women's cricket is just starting to become popular. If a developing women's cricket team has to face a male bowling at them that is simply dangerous if the male has any cricket ability. The ball is hard and can kill. Women are at serious risk of becoming injured and in all likelihood it will put them off and women will not be able to participate.

This male can play in the men's teams (as many competent girls do). They do not have to ruin women's sport to participate.

The ECB should be ashamed that this is allowed to happen.

I wonder where he’s getting changed?

Changing rooms are a NIGHTMARE for girls who play cricket in men's teams.

There are often no seperate facilities at all in some of the older clubs! Having a seperate toilet is sometimes also an issue.

I shouldn't imagine that he doesn't care if he changes with the girls.

When my daughter plays in men's matches she goes dressed to play, doubtful that he has the courtesy to do that.

I shouldn't imagine that he doesn't care if he changes with the girls

Apologies for the rogue double negative. I bet he just changes with the girls.

If a male (middle aged at that) is going onto a woman's team and playing against girls as young as 12, I think we are so far removed from courtesy that we are the other side of the universe.

Reading the quote from Riley Gaines who spoke about the situation with a male swimmer in the female changing room, one can only hope that these 12 year old girls won't have to be exposed to a naked, middle aged male in their changing room. Or, be watched undressing by said middle aged male; or any other such male inserting themselves into women sports and changing rooms.

We did not give our consent, they did not ask for our consent,' Gaines told Fox News' America Reports. 'In that locker room, we turned around and there’s a 6’4" biological man dropping his pants and watching us undress, and we were exposed to male genitalia.

I wonder if the female swimmers such as Gaines would have a case against their University Swimming admin who enabled this indecent exposure by a male, and were complicit in arranging a situation where male voyeurism may have been facilitated.

I don't really think that the changing room is as much of an issue in cricket as it is in swimming as mostly players don't get changed. In all of the women's matches my daughter has played in she arrives in her kit and leaves in it.

The overriding issue in cricket, which doesn't apply to swimming, is safety. It's extremely dangerous to have a male competing with women in hard ball cricket, if the women are not used to facing fast balls. Very few women can bowl with the pace that men can get behind the ball. Women are not as tall or strong to defend it.

That's not to mention the displacement of women and girls who want to play.

The ECB has a terrible stance on trans participation. If a male wants to compete as a woman at any level they just have to say they are a woman and hey presto they can join in. Girls country cricket could be totally destroyed because the best boys are so much stronger than the best girls.

The women's game is developing fantastically well and we have an amazing women's national team but everyone one of them could be replaced by a mediocre male who would have no chance of competing at the same level in the men's game.

Our girls just deserve better.