‘Unheard' Maria Catalano hoping snooker changes policies on transgender women
Maria Catalano hopes snooker changes its policies on transgender women so that she can return to the sport she loves, but says she feels 'unheard' by its governing body.
Catalano says snooker is 'in her blood'. Her cousin is none other than the sport's biggest name, Ronnie O'Sullivan.
She is a former world number one in her own right, having won 11 women's ranking event titles.
However, since 2022 the 43-year-old has self-excluded from the sport in protest at its decision to allow trans women to compete in female events with reduced testosterone levels.
That policy is being reviewed by snooker's world governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), in light of a UK Supreme Court ruling last month which clarified that 'sex' in the Equality Act meant biological sex.
A new report has found that another cue sport, pool, is gender-affected, prompting that sport's governing body to bar transgender women last week. Catalano is convinced men have a physical advantage over women in snooker too.
'I just feel so unheard. Any time (this issue is) mentioned, it's put down to hate speech,' she told the PA news agency.
'I'm happy for people to be happy in whatever walk of life they choose. (This protest is) nothing to do with how people want to live their life. It is just about all the unfairness.
'Women cannot compete at the level the men do. They might win the odd match (against biological men) but for me, winning one match is not competing.
'I know everybody in the world has feelings. I know trans people have feelings, but biological women have feelings too.'
Catalano says she first raised the issue in 2021 after a match against trans woman Harriet Haynes, who is currently involved in a legal action against the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF) after it changed its rules to exclude her.
Since then, Catalano says she has consistently been 'shut down' on this topic by the WPBSA and its chairperson, Jason Ferguson.
It is understood there are no trans women on the World Women's Snooker Tour, which ends this month with the World Championship in China.
But only a rule change would convince Catalano to chase her dream of returning to play in that tournament, and she has little confidence that a change will happen.
She says stepping out of the sport has been tough to take.
'I was at tournaments, I tried (to continue), and I just had tears in my eyes and I just thought: 'I can't put myself through this any more'. Because I had to protect myself at some point.
'But then (not playing) was also hard, because I've played since I was 15.'
Catalano continues to play at lower levels since she self-excluded from top-level sport, but admitted: 'I've hit depression really bad because this year – I've felt like I've got nothing to play for.
'I would love to go back, snooker is in the blood.'
She does not know whether a legal action of the type which forced a change in pool could happen in snooker.
'I know some snooker players are quite frightened to say anything because they know they can get banned,' she said.
A WPBSA spokesperson said: 'The WPBSA is currently conducting a review of its trans and gender diverse policy. The views of key stakeholders within the sport including our players have always been considered in the creation of this policy, alongside all relevant legislation in the UK and around the world, and recognised guidance.
'The World Women's Snooker Tour is a welcoming environment. Maria Catalano remains welcome at World Women's Snooker Tour events, as has always been the case.'
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