Latest news with #MeltonSouth
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Transgender netball player hits back after being banned from Victorian league
A transgender netball player who was banned from a Victorian competition has hit back at the decision, accusing a rival club of hypocrisy and fuelling a climate of discrimination. Manawa Aranui, who transitioned after previously competing in men's netball, was told she could no longer take the court for Melton Central Football and Netball Club in the Riddell District Netball League (RDNL). The ruling followed a threat from neighbouring club Melton South, which said it would forfeit matches if Aranui or her fellow transgender teammate were allowed to play. The club cited concerns over player safety. On Wednesday, the RDNL confirmed the ban under Section 42 of the Sex Discrimination Act, which permits sporting bodies to restrict participation where strength, stamina, or physique is considered a material factor. The league's statement triggered an impassioned public response from Aranui, who posted to Facebook criticising both the ruling and the motivations behind it. 'I've sat quietly long enough while this narrative brewed and I've been dragged — publicly and without consent — into a conversation where both my character and identity have been attacked,' she wrote. 'This won't be a long novel — because frankly, these bigots don't deserve my time or energy ... Melton South Football Netball Club and your Netball Coordinator/players: you're entitled to your opinions, but let's clear some things up. 'Your head coach tried to recruit me to play for your club. Yes — YOUR HEAD COACH TRIED TO RECRUIT ME.' Aranui shared what she claimed was a screenshot of text messages from a Melton South official, appearing to ask whether she'd be open to playing A-grade next season 'depending on the rules.' Now banned, she says her gender identity only became an issue when she wasn't on their team. 'You've played six quarters against me — AND we played all season last year alongside each other for Glen Orden — suddenly NOW I'm 'dangerous'?' she wrote. 'Apparently now, I run full-speed into players and knock them over? We have two umpires on the court to keep the game safe. If I had done what you claim, wouldn't I have been warned, penalised, or reprimanded?' She insists she has not received a single caution in any competition. 'You're entitled to believe it's 'unfair' for cis women to compete against transgender women. That's your opinion. But the lies? They need to stop. 'You're not out here protecting women's sport. You're being malicious, using false narratives to mask your bigotry and personal agendas behind the guise of 'safeguarding women's spaces.'' She claims the online abuse had been damaging. 'You've spread stories, targeted me, and enabled me to become the sole focus of online abuse and sideline harassment … I hope you're proud of that. And I hope no child in your families ever has to endure what you've subjected me to,' she said. The RDNL's decision followed the circulation of video footage showing Aranui colliding with a Romsey player. Netball Victoria has confirmed it is investigating, saying it engaged an independent expert to assess the concerns raised by clubs and players. In 2018, Netball Victoria amended its bylaws to allow transgender and non-binary players to compete in female competitions based on self-identified gender. The move aligned with national guidelines developed with organisations such as Proud 2 Play and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC). Under the Sex Discrimination Act, sports may restrict participation if safety or competitive fairness concerns are objectively proven. But outside those exemptions, gender identity cannot be used to exclude athletes. The ASC guidelines state: 'It is important that sporting bodies … reflect the diversity in the communities they are a part of, and that together, we ensure every person is treated with respect and dignity and protected from discrimination.'
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Moment trans netball player flattens opponent before being banned from league as rival teams threaten to boycott matches
THIS is the moment a transgender netball player sent a rival crashing to the court - just days before being banned from competing as teams threatened to boycott matches. Footage shows Manawa Aranui, a former elite men's player, crashing into an opponent during a hard but legal play in Australia. 4 4 4 4 The rival Romsey player hits the deck as Aranui — towering over her — immediately offers a hand to help her up. The clash on Sunday's match has since sparked outrage across the Victorian netball community with. On Wednesday, the Riddell District Netball Football League (RDFNL) announced that Aranui and another transgender player from Melton Central have now been banned for the rest of the 2025 season. The bombshell move came after Melton South Netball Club threatened to boycott all games involving the pair over safety fears. The league said: 'After lengthy consideration and consultation, the RDFNL has ruled that the two transgender participants be excluded from the RDFNL Netball Competitions for the remainder of the 2025 season on the premise that both participants exhibit superior stamina and physique over their competitors deeming Section 42 of the Sex Discrimination Act relevant.' That section of the law allows sporting bodies to exclude players if "strength, stamina, or physique" could create an unfair advantage or risk. Aranui — who previously starred in men's netball — has become a lightning rod in Australia's growing trans-in-sport debate. She was named best on ground in a Division 1 grand final for Melton Central, fuelling calls for a ban. Melton South netball coordinator Melissa Dawson said: 'One of the players is six foot something – it's ridiculous. Netball Victoria needs to put the safety of biological females first.' B Grade player Erin added: 'I went up for the ball and just got pushed and dropped. They're so much stronger, and I'm genuinely scared I'll get hurt.' Trans women are NOT women, Supreme Court rules in win for anti-woke campaigners after battle over female-only spaces She said she would sit out any future games against Melton Central if the players remained in the lineup. Another player added: 'It deters women from playing the sport they love. We've worked hard to keep girls in the game.' Women's rights campaigner Sall Grover also weighed in, demanding Aranui's immediate removal from female competitions. 'There are many mixed-sex netball competitions at the recreational level,' she said. 'Everyone on those teams is making a choice to participate in a mixed-sex competition.' Grover, founder of women-only social app Giggle for Girls, warned: 'Males on female teams put the females in danger, while taking away the limited opportunities there are for sportswomen.' She continued: 'There are protections in the Sex Discrimination Act for female-only sport — look them up. 'It's about women having the right to play sport without fear of injury or losing opportunity.' Despite being ruled ineligible by the Ballarat Football Netball League in April, Aranui was still playing for Melton Central until the RDFNL stepped in this week. Melton Central president Paul Sinclair previously confirmed both transgender players would continue taking the court while the club awaited direction from Netball Victoria. Now, that direction appears to be coming into sharper focus. Netball Victoria has launched a formal investigation, engaging an independent expert to assess concerns raised by multiple clubs and players. A spokesperson said: 'We support and welcome netballers of all backgrounds. That includes gender diverse players who have rights under anti-discrimination laws.' Netball Victoria's 2018 policy — developed with Proud 2 Play and based on national guidelines — allows players to compete based on self-identified gender, not legal sex. But the fierce backlash has put pressure on officials to review how those policies are applied when safety and fairness are raised. Equality Australia argues against blanket bans, insisting 'community-level sport should focus on inclusion and participation.' But critics say the current system fails to protect female athletes.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Manawa Aranui: Furious trans netballer who was BANNED from playing hits back with bombshell claim about team that made boycott threat against her
One of the two trans netball stars who have been banned from playing in a Victorian league has lashed out at the decision and made a stunning claim about the rival team that threatened to boycott matches she played in. Manawa Aranui played men's netball at a high level before transitioning and playing for the Melton Central Football and Netball Club. Last week rival side Melton South declared its players 'do not feel safe' playing against Central's two trans players and threatned to boycott matches against the team. On Wednesday, the Riddell District Netball League (RDNL) announced the two Melton Central players have been banned from the remainder of this year's competition 'on the premise that both participants exhibit superior, stamina and physique over their competitors deeming Section 42 of the Sex Discrimination Act relevant'. That section of the act allows competitions to exclude gender-diverse players due to concerns about their 'strength, stamina or physique'. The statement drew a fiery response from Aranui on Facebook. 'I've sat quietly long enough while this narrative brewed and I've been dragged—publicly and without consent — into a conversation where both my character and identity have been attacked,' she wrote. 'This won't be a long novel — because frankly, these bigots don't deserve my time or energy ... Melton South Football Netball Club and your Netball Coordinator/players: you're entitled to your opinions, but let's clear some things up. 'Your head coach tried to recruit me to play for your club. Yes — YOUR HEAD COACH TRIED TO RECRUIT ME. 'The same club now publicly speaking out against me, bashing me, and attacking the trans/non-binary community in the media, is the very club whose head coach approached me to join you. (Read that again. Let it sink in.) #Hypocrites.' Aranui went on to ask if her gender identity would be an issue if she was playing for Melton South. 'You've played six quarters against me — AND we played all season last year along side each other for Glen Orden — suddenly NOW I'm 'dangerous'?' she continued. 'Apparently now, I run full-speed into players and knock them over? 'We have two umpires on the court to keep the game safe. If I had done what you claim, wouldn't I have been warned, penalised, or reprimanded? 'For the record: I haven't been cautioned once — not in this league, or any other I've played in. 'You're entitled to believe it's 'unfair' for cis women to compete against transgender women. That's your opinion. But the lies? They need to stop. 'You're not out here protecting women's sport. You're being malicious, using false narratives to mask your bigotry and personal agendas behind the guise of 'safeguarding women's spaces.' 'You've spread stories, targeted me, and enabled me to become the sole focus of online abuse and sideline harassment from other clubs and their supporters — right here, in a space where I come to play a sport I love. A place I come to laugh, sweat, compete, and find community. 'I hope you're proud of that. And I hope no child in your families ever has to endure what you've subjected me to.' Aranui also posted an image showing an exchange of text messages between her and an unnamed person who asked if she would be open to 'playing for us A grade next season' 'depending on the rules in RDFNL'. The RDNL's ban came shortly after a video surfaced showing Aranui knocking a rival player from the Romsey team to the ground when they collided a completely legal passage of play. Netball Victoria had previously confirmed it was investigating the issue by engaging an independent expert to assess the concerns raised by multiple players and clubs. Melton South's netball coordinator Melissa Dawson had told News Corp she would support her players if they chose to forfeit games over safety concerns. 'One of the players is six foot something – it's ridiculous,' she said. 'Netball Victoria needs to put the safety of biological females first.' Netball Victoria said it remains committed to inclusion and is following its gender diversity policy developed in consultation with Proud 2 Play and based on national sport inclusion guidelines. 'We support and welcome netballers of all backgrounds,' a spokesperson said. 'That includes gender diverse players who have rights under anti-discrimination laws.' Netball Victoria's 2018 bylaw change allows non-binary and transgender players to register and play in female competitions based on self-identified gender, not legal sex. The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) guidelines on the inclusion of transgender athletes state that sports must comply with the Sex Discrimination Act, which makes it unlawful to discriminate, harass or victimise people due to their sex or gender identity. There are exemptions for sports in which unfair advantages or safety risks can be objectively proven. The ASC states: 'All Australians should have the opportunity to be involved in sport and physical activity, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, ability, cultural background or ethnicity. 'It is important that sporting bodies, from local clubs through to national sporting organisations, reflect the diversity in the communities they are a part of, and that together, we ensure every person is treated with respect and dignity and protected from discrimination.' In May 2017, the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission released guidelines on trans and gender diverse inclusion in sport. They state that sporting organisations will be breaking the law under the Equal Opportunity Act if they exclude people from participating in a sporting activity, or refuse or fail to select them in a team, on the basis of their sex or gender identity. However, exceptions could apply 'if strength, stamina or physique is relevant'.
Sky News AU
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Women's Forum Australia's Stephanie Bastiaan calls for more to speak up against involvement of transgender players in women's sport
Members of a Victorian women's netball club have been praised after their advocacy against facing transgender players on another team sparked an investigation by the state's peak netball body. Netball Victoria is currently investigating whether transgender players pose a safety risk to women players. An independent expert is reviewing possible on-court safety risks after a club in Melbourne's outer north said it was worried about the size and strength of the two transgender players who represent Melton Central. The decision to launch the review came after Melton South players threatened to boycott matches against Melton Central due to concerns over the safety of the team against transgender players. Women's Forum Australia head of advocacy Stephanie Bastiaan said she was "very pleased" about the boycott as it meant teams were "biting back". "Parents are speaking out. Players are threatening to boycott. Teams are threatening to withdraw. But it's disappointing that it has to come to this in order to get action," Ms Bastiaan told Sky News' Danica De Giorgio on Monday. "We've had big changes overseas with protecting women's sport in the US. The whole gender issue in the UK has come to a head. And yet here we are still in Australia, where men are identifying into women's sports spaces, so on, so forth. "So well done to these players for speaking up and for pushing back. And I hope we see more of it so that we can get further action to protect women's sport. Absolutely." Ms Bastiaan said it shouldn't be up to sporting clubs to get into trouble for fielding transgender players, but argued the Sex Discrimination Act needed to be amended in order to protect women's sport. "I think there are some sporting clubs that are ideologically captured, and they're prioritising diversity and inclusion over fairness and safety for women and girls. But I think, there is also an undercurrent of fear of litigation," she said. "It shouldn't be up to sporting clubs to have to face litigation in order to work out whether they can legally discriminate against males to protect female sport. We need clarity in the law. "We need to reinstate biological definitions into the Sex Discrimination Act and we need to scrap these so-called protected provisions altogether and have a blanket support for women's sport as its own category. And if other clubs want to be more open, they can have these open categories or mixed sporting teams."
