Transgender pool player suing governing body in bid to overturn ban

Telegraph

08-04-2025

The transgender pool champion at the centre of angry protests over her playing in women's events is suing one of her sport's governing bodies for banning her from female-only competitions.
Harriet Haynes, who on Sunday won a professional women's tournament after beating another trans player in the final, is in court this week after taking legal action against the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF).
It follows an August 2023 change to the EBBF's eligibility criteria to allow only those born female to play on its ladies' tour and county tournaments, a move Haynes says amounted to discrimination that had caused her a 'loss of opportunity' and 'injured feelings'.
The rule change left Haynes, who first competed in an EBPF event as a woman in 2015, unable to play for the Kent's ladies' team and she is seeking damages at Canterbury County Court.
What is thought to be the first lawsuit of its kind brought by a trans athlete in the UK could prove a landmark case in pool and beyond, over rules designed to stop those born male taking part in female-only competitions.
A hearing began on Monday, the day after Haynes and Lucy Smith faced off in the Ultimate Pool Women's Pro Series Event 2 at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan on Sunday.
Their match witnessed protests from demonstrators who shouted, 'He's a man and we stand with Lynne Pinches', and held up banners saying, 'Save women's sport', and, 'He's a man', as Haynes walked past.
Pinches is the player who forfeited a 2023 final in protest at the participation of Haynes and is part of a separate legal action against the Ultimate Pool Group and World Eightball Pool Federation over their refusal to ban trans women from their own events.
The EBPF, meanwhile, argues those born male have, on average, a higher break speed than female-born players. It also claims that male-born players benefit from greater hand span, stronger fingers, and longer limbs, making it easier for them to play particular shots.
Governing body argue male have advantage in cue sports
The governing body is represented at this week's court hearing by Sarah Crowther KC, who told the proceedings on Monday that female-born players were, on average, at a disadvantage compared to those born male when it came to physical strength, stamina or physique.
She said: 'Therefore, it is commonplace for competitors to be categorised. All categories are trying to do the same thing – to group competitors by their bodily characteristics.
'The reality is that all sports are predominately male sports and there are very few where it can be said there is no sex-based advantage. Women have to fight to seek inclusion.
'If girls and women do not have their own teams, they will lack the development pathway into sports and will give up.
'All cue sports have protected women's categories because the physique of male players means that male players have an advantage over female players.'
'My success is down to my efforts'
Haynes told the court that 'my success in pool in general is down to my efforts, whether in the women's section or open section' and that 'coaching helped me progress'. She also said that 'a big part of my life was playing county ladies' blackball pool'.
Cross-examining Haynes, Crowther asked if she would accept the proposition that, on average, males had an advantage over females. Haynes responded that she 'wouldn't know enough about the subject', adding: 'I'm not an expert on it.'
Crowther also cited the fact that Haynes was able to play on the EBPF's Open Tour, which was previously known as its men's tour but was rebranded in light of trans women being banned from female-only events.
Haynes' barrister, Robin White, told the court the extent to which sports were gender-affected was on a sliding scale, saying: 'It would be easy to make the case that tennis is gender-affected, given that men are able to serve so much faster than women.
'On the other end of the spectrum is chess. I'm prepared to accept that pool is close to the boundary.'
Citing the Equality Act 2010, White said: 'A 'gender-affected activity,' is a sport, game, or other competitive activity where the physical strength, stamina, or physique of average persons of one sex would put them at a disadvantage compared to average persons of the other sex.'
Haynes submitted expert evidence to support her case, including from an American professor who argues that as long as a player could break above a certain speed – something achievable by both sexes – there was no inherent advantage gained by a higher cue velocity.