English Blackball Pool Federation

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The hearing is scheduled for 7th-11th April at Canterbury County Court.

Tribunal Tweets will be following the case…

Live tweeting sessions Abbreviations
J - His Honour Judge Parker
HH - Harriet Haynes, claimant
RW - Robin White, claimant’s barrister
CC - Colman Coyle, claimant's solicitor
EBPF - English Blackball Pool Federation
PT - Paul Thomson, defendant
AG - Anna Goodwin, defendant
SC - Sarah Crowther KC, defendants’ barristers, and
SS - Sapandeep Singh Maini-Thompson
JRL - JR Levins LLP, defendants’ solicitor
JG - James Goodwin, witness for defendant

The original thread has been deleted for “breaking Mumsnet guidelines”. Not sure why but possibly “misgendering” or possibly making it too easy to find the crowdfund @mumsnet it would be good if you could let us know so this thread can stay up. Do we have to pretend that the Claimant is female?

It's a huge safeguarding loophole. It is a gift to any male who wants to get close to young girls in enclosed spaces without their parents knowing they will be sharing with a biologically male person. Lots of situations where this might happen in clubs etc. We've already had adult males changing in girls swimming club changing rooms - this just means with a £5 certificate it's 'legal'.

There really is no safeguarding for children if adults are allowed to lie about objective reality.

During this case there was a statement that closing arguments might change in light of the Supreme Court ruling - now that we have that, does anyone know what it might mean?

HH has a GRC but I think the ruling still says that does not automatically allow him access to single sex spaces or activities?

The ruling says he will be treated as a man for Equality Act purposes. His GRC is irrelevant.

Thank you @spannasaurus I am hoping that makes a stronger case for the pool federation

As an aside I've not seen anything from RMW on this ruling I must go and look!

I think It would be difficult for HH to claim discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment as a man without the PC of GR would also have been excluded from the womens tournament

This day just gets better

Ooh can’t wait for Rob the barristers closing arguments post the SC judgement!

The impact on sports could be huge. FWS has landed a huge win for women's right to sport check this article for some implications.

Telegraph
Football and cricket face lawsuit threat over ‘atrocious’ transgender policies
Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not women could raise questions over current policies of both the FA and ECB
https://archive.is/Ac05C

Rugby league doesn't get a mention in the Torygraph, grrr! 😀But of course we are same as RU, men in women's contact sports is ridiculous. This will sure bang some heads together at the FA and other sports organisations, and a good thing too.

Does this mean that the girl who was autistic and asked whether a bearded player was a man might now get an answer and no sanctions?

I am not a lawyer but reading the Supreme Court judgement today it's not necessarily hugely helpful for this blackball pool case. There's a section on Women's Fair participation in sport, quoting the EA 2010.

Blah blah "a person does not contravene (various passages prohibiting discrimination)...in so far as gender reassignment, only by doing anything in relation of a transsexual person as a competitor in a gender-affected activity if it is necessary...(a) fair competition, or (b) the safety of the competitors."

However, hopefully the defendants have done enough to show that pool is gender affected and that it is necessary to restrict for fair competition.

Nope you have it wrong you can have a women only league (as in biological women)

the SC ruling was clear on sport.

RMW seemingly is going to persist on what is now flogging a dead horse.

There's a lot of money to be made in flogging dead horses.

Possibly, but it isn't going to go to happen straight off, someone NEEDS to go to court or just get aggressive lawyers in. Then the FA will start panicking. Because we all know what happens if these cases go to court turns out women are real!

The Common Law of the UK actually has power it seems. Who knew? The days of men taking over women girls sport may be coming to an end. Tick tock!

Women did this. Mumsnet did this. Take a bow folks.

SPORTS ENGLAND;

Statement issued following Supreme Court ruling
The legal definition of a woman has been set by the Supreme Court today.
16th April 2025

Following today's ruling by the Supreme Court that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, the concept of which has been ruled to be binary, we've issued the below statement.
A spokesperson said: "Sport England is not a regulator of sport and we do not run facilities.
"However, we do provide guidance on requirements around inclusion, safety and fairness to ensure that the needs of all groups are met.
"We are now considering what today’s ruling means for grassroots sports and clubs."

Another interesting article.

Supreme Court gender ruling: What does it mean for sport?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cy9vn8190wro

The SC judgment has made NC’s job easier. What she needs to demonstrate is that men, with or without GRCs, can be excluded from the women’s leagues because of their physical advantages.

HH assisted with this by winning the tournament against another transwoman in a womens competition the day before the hearing started. The American trainer and Emma were also good experts.

The “expert” running simulations for the wrong pool game less so.

I bet the FA are regretting the timing of the issue if their new guidance which days it’s fine ti have men play women and that all that’s required is for the men (the men!) to sign a waiver saying they know it might be dangerous

I don't believe there's any mention in the judgement of 'gone through male puberty', will this see the end of that loophole?

"We are now considering what today’s ruling means for grassroots sports and clubs."

Dear Sport England, allow me to save you some time. Women's sports are for women. Women's changing rooms are for women. At all levels and ages. You're welcome.

I would say so. They are male, pre- and post-puberty.

Apologies if this has already been posted, there are a lot of threads to keep track of

https://archive.ph/D9n0w

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2025/04/17/supreme-court-message-sport-transgender-inclusion-lunacy/

I think I might love Oliver Brown 😍

“You are officially out of excuses” like that

Strewth, the hand wringing is extraordinary