Transgender to play soccer in Australia

SYDNEY: The Australian Football League has agreed to let a transgender player participate in the country’s second-tier state women’s competition while the governing body considers its gender diversity policy for the national league.

Hannah Mouncey, a former national men’s handball representative, last October lost her bid to take part in the AFL Women’s (AFLW) national draft, barring her from the 2018 elite-level season.

Several clubs had reportedly shown interest in drafting Mouncey, who is 1.90 metres tall (6ft 2in). The league ruled her out due to the advantage her physical strength and stamina would have over opponents in the newly formed semi-professional competition, but left the door ajar for this year’s draft as it finalises its gender diversity policy. On Tuesday the AFL made a landmark recommendation clearing Mouncey to play in the country’s second-tier state competition. The pioneering transgender player welcomed the decision but described the last four months of deliberation as a “circus”, with a lack of understanding in the science of gender transition.