Latest news with #HarrietHaynes
The Herald Scotland
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
‘Unheard' Maria Catalano hoping snooker changes policies on transgender women
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. WORLD WOMEN'S SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 | ENTER NOW! 🏆🇨🇳 The World Women's Snooker Championship returns to Dongguan Changping in China from 20-27 May and there are less than two weeks left to enter! 👇 — World Women's Snooker (@WomensSnooker) April 30, 2025 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.'
The Independent
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Transgender women banned from female pool category after Supreme Court ruling
Transgender women have been banned from the female category of certain pool events following last week's UK Supreme Court ruling. The sport in this country has been mired in controversy over its transgender inclusion policies. Trans woman Harriet Haynes is suing the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF) after it changed its rules to ban trans women from its female category, while a group of female players had challenged the Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) and World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF) rules which allowed trans women to compete. The UPG has now changed course however, and becomes the first sports body to update its policies since the Supreme Court declared last week that the words "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 referred to a biological woman and biological sex. The UPG also said the change in policy was prompted by receipt of a report which confirmed pool was a gender-affected sport under the Equality Act, which therefore permits the lawful exclusion of athletes based on sex. "Since its inception UPG has been caught in a vacuum of uncertainty surrounding the issue of eligibility to participate in its women's series," the announcement from UPG read. "The clear conclusion of the biological and cue sports expert who jointly authored the report was that eightball pool was a gender-affected sport and that in cue sports female players have unique disadvantages compared to male players and that transgender women retain male advantages. "The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner has confirmed that the ruling has brought clarity and that trans women cannot take part in women's sport and that the EHRC would pursue organisations which do not update their policies. "UPG welcomes the clarity which this judgment brings." UPG confirmed the open category remained "open to all regardless of sex", and said the rule changes had been endorsed by the international eightball federation. Haynes and another trans woman, Lucy Smith, contested the final of a UPG event earlier this month. London Marathon organisers said on Wednesday they would wait to receive updated information from the EHRC and Sport England before considering whether to update eligibility policies for its mass participation race. Currently transgender athletes can self-select their gender on the ballot for the mass race, but the elite, championship and 'good for age' female race categories are only open to biological women.
Irish Examiner
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Transgender women banned from female pool events following Supreme Court ruling
Transgender women have been banned from the female category of Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) events following last week's UK Supreme Court ruling. The sport has been mired in controversy over its transgender inclusion policies. Trans woman Harriet Haynes is suing the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF) after it changed its rules to ban trans women from its female category, while a group of female players had challenged the UPG and World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF) rules which allowed trans women to compete. The UPG has now changed course however, and becomes the first sports body to update its policies since the Supreme Court declared last week that the words "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 referred to a biological woman and biological sex. The UPG also said the change in policy was prompted by receipt of a report which confirmed pool was a gender-affected sport under the Equality Act, which therefore permits the lawful exclusion of athletes based on sex. "Since its inception UPG has been caught in a vacuum of uncertainty surrounding the issue of eligibility to participate in its women's series," the announcement from UPG read. "The clear conclusion of the biological and cue sports expert who jointly authored the report was that eightball pool was a gender-affected sport and that in cue sports female players have unique disadvantages compared to male players and that transgender women retain male advantages. "The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner has confirmed that the ruling has brought clarity and that trans women cannot take part in women's sport and that the EHRC would pursue organisations which do not update their policies. "UPG welcomes the clarity which this judgment brings." UPG confirmed the open category remained "open to all regardless of sex", and said the rule changes had been endorsed by the international eightball federation. Haynes and another trans woman, Lucy Smith, contested the final of a UPG event earlier this month. London Marathon organisers said on Wednesday they would wait to receive updated information from the EHRC and Sport England before considering whether to update eligibility policies for its mass participation race. Currently transgender athletes can self-select their gender on the ballot for the mass race, but the elite, championship and 'good for age' female race categories are only open to biological women.
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Transgender women banned from female pool category
Transgender women have been banned from the female category of Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) after last week's landmark UK Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological professional body for 8-ball pool said it has amended its eligibility rules so that participation in its women's events "are open only to biologically born women".The decision comes after protests were held at the final of the Ultimate Pool Women's Pro Series Event earlier this month, which was competed between Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith - two transgender women. UPG said "recent developments have now made the position clear", and that it "welcomes the clarity" brought by the Supreme Court also said that a report it commissioned had concluded that 8-ball pool "was a gender affected sport and that in cue sports female players have unique disadvantages compared to male players and that transgender women retain male advantages".The body said that an open category "will continue to be open to all regardless of sex"."We respect that some people within the pool community may find the changes challenging" it added."As an organisation, we are committed to being empathetic to all members of our community and we expect all members of our community to reflect this."Ultimate Pool Women's Pro Series Event 2 at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan was contested by two biological match between Haynes and Smith witnessed furious protests amid what had also been legal proceedings brought by female-born players over UPG's transgender policy. 'Ruling brings clarity' In an update to its terms and conditions, UPD said that it "has been caught in a vacuum of uncertainty surrounding the issue of eligibility to participate in its women's series".Last year, one of Britain's top female pool players said she turned down a first ever professional contract because she believes transgender women have an unfair competitive August 2023, governing body the World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF) and its promoters UPG, said transgender players would not be able to play against "naturally-born women" but that decision was then then staged a protest by conceding the Women's Champion of Champions tournament to transgender opponent Haynes in argued transgender players have competed in female categories for 20 years, and that there was no categoric evidence they have an advantage in cue has taken legal action against the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF), which has also banned transgender women competing in female said she was part of a group of players launching their own legal action against the WEPF and UPG over rules forcing them to play transgender has now become the first sports body to amend its rules in the wake of last week's judgment by the Supreme Court."The Equality and Human Rights Commission chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner has confirmed that the ruling has brought clarity and that trans women cannot take part in women's sport and that the EHRC would pursue organisations which do not update their policies" it said."UPG welcomes the clarity which this judgment brings."It said the ruling - along with the findings of the "detailed and comprehensive experts report" it commissioned - meant "it is necessary for UPG to amend its eligibility policy for participation in the women's series and international events".It added: "With effect from 23 April 2025 trans women will not be eligible to participate in the women's series nor will trans women be eligible to be selected for international events in the female category."
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Transgender women now banned from pool's female category
Transgender women have been banned from the Ultimate Pool Group's female category following the Supreme Court's ruling on single-sex spaces. The move comes a week after the UK's highest court determined that sex was binary and just over a fortnight after the final of the Ultimate Pool Women's Pro Series Event 2 at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan was contested by two biological males. That match between Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith witnessed furious protests amid what had also been legal proceedings brought by female-born players over UPG's transgender policy. The latter prompted UPG to commission a report into whether eight-ball pool was a gender-affected sport as defined by the Equality Act, the outcome of which has also played a part in it becoming the second professional UK pool organisation to ban trans women from its female category. The English Blackball Pool Federation became the first in 2023, only for Haynes to take it to court earlier this month. A judgment on Haynes's lawsuit is pending but is also expected to be affected by the Supreme Court ruling. UPG said in a statement: 'UPG today have amended our eligibility rules for the Women's Series (and all women's competitions held under UPG). With effect from 23rd April 2025, entry and participation in Ultimate Pool women's events are open only to biologically born women. 'We respect that some people within the pool community may find the changes challenging. As an organisation, we are committed to being empathetic to all members of our community and we expect all members of our community to reflect this.' Is eight-ball pool a gender-affected sport? The rationale behind the change was explained in an update to its terms and conditions on its website. It read: 'Since its inception UPG has been caught in a vacuum of uncertainty surrounding the issue of eligibility to participate in its women's series. Two recent developments have now made the position clear. 'UPG obtained an expert's report upon the question: 'Was eight-ball pool a gender-affected sport as defined by the Equality Act 2010?' 'Crucially this report was commissioned to reach a conclusion not only on the question of whether there were biological differences between women born as women and transgender women recognised as women by way of a Gender Recognition Certificate, but also whether any biological differences meant that transgender women had an advantage in the specific sport of eight-ball pool. 'The clear conclusion of the biological and cue-sports expert who jointly authored the report was that eight-ball pool was a gender-affected sport and that in cue sports female players have unique disadvantages compared to male players and that transgender women retain male advantages. 'Separately, the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers was handed down on 16 April 2025. In this judgment the Supreme Court ruled that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person's legal sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. 'The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner has confirmed that the ruling has brought clarity and that trans women cannot take part in women's sport and that the EHRC would pursue organisations which do not update their policies. UPG welcomes the clarity which this judgment brings.' 'Brave few stood up to protect women in sport' The World Eightball Pool Federation has also been facing legal proceedings over its refusal to ban trans women from female competitions. Fiona McAnena, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, said: 'Yet again it was a few brave women who were forced to step up and take legal action to protect the female category for all women in sport. This should never have had to happen. 'So many governing bodies have acted inexcusably, failing to provide sport that is truly inclusive of women and girls. The only way to give women the same fair competition as men get is to exclude all males from women's competitions, however those men identify. 'This is a tipping point. If cue sports like pool must exclude everyone male from women's tournaments – and legally that is what they have to do – then every other sport that has a female category must do this too. Football, cricket, lacrosse and all the other holdouts must now take action. Sportswomen have been shamefully cheated for too long.'
