Irish sporting bodies panicked about funding losses if they took part in review on transgender participation
INCLUSION PROJECT Irish sporting bodies panicked about funding losses if they took part in review on transgender participation
IRISH sporting bodies panicked about losing funding if they took part in an inclusion review on transgender participation in sport.
A report also details how three international athletes had agreed to be interviewed but pulled out at the last minute due to 'unease with the subject matter'.
The consultation, which was commissioned by Sport Ireland on policy around transgender participation, said views collected were likely to be 'provocative, confronting, and even upsetting'.
It said that hundreds of interviews had led to some 'uncomfortable truths' and personal testimonies that showed the 'depth of feeling' about catering for everybody in sports across Ireland.
The project report, which was prepared by Carbmill Consulting in July 2023, said that the single biggest issue raised was the inclusion of transgender women in sport.
It revealed: 'Individuals involved in boxing and the martial arts were adamant that allowing transgender women to compete against females in their sports was unsafe, possibly unlawful.'
More than one interviewee said watching a trans woman competing in MMA was 'akin to watching footage of violence against women'.
There were multiple sports where sporting bodies felt there was little issue including touch rugby, rounders, and equestrianism.
And some said making games more inclusive would lead to higher participation.
But others said the opposite, including members of Ireland's Islamic community.
The report said: 'The parent of one of the [football] players concerned explained her daughter and her friend had been put in a position where they had no choice but to withdraw.'
Overall, there was general support for inclusion of the transgender community at 'grassroots level' of sport but that it was seemingly 'unworkable at the elite level'.
SAFEGUARDING
The topic of changing rooms was repeatedly raised, according to the authors.
It said that many of the female respondents had not raised any issues around 'safeguarding' but instead 'privacy and dignity for women and girls'.
Hundreds of coaches were also contacted as part of the consultation with the report saying some claimed it could be 'the beginning of the end for female sport'.
A number of national governing bodies expressed fears they would lose funding if they did not conform to any future Sport Ireland policy on transgender inclusion.
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