Danielle McGahey to become first-ever transgender cricketer to feature in women’s T20I for Canada

Australia-born Danielle McGahey is set to become the first-ever transgender cricketer to feature in a women’s T20I for Canada. Notably, Danielle has been included in Canada’s squad for a qualifying tournament in their road to the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

The cricketer ticked all the boxes of the eligibility criteria put forth by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Danielle emigrated from Australia to Canada in 2020 and transitioned to a woman later the same year. Delighted on being the first-ever to represent the transgender community, Danielle shared the protocols she underwent to make the cut in the setup.

“I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do. A lot of work with my doctor sending my medical information through to the ICC… they have a dedicated medical officer who looks over all of the information provided, and determines whether or not I have provided enough for an expert panel to make a decision,” she told BBC Sport.

“The need to do blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge because when you are playing cricket you are travelling a lot. It’s very personal in terms of the information you are giving over – all your medical information, history of puberty, any surgeries. There’s a lot in it. But the protocols are there and it has been used as intended,” she added.

As per the eligibility regulations by the ICC, ‘a trans women wishing to play women’s international cricket must demonstrate the concentration of testosterone in her serum to be less than 5 nmol/L1 continuously for a period of at least 12 months, and that she is ready, willing and able to continue to keep it below that level for so long as she continues to compete’.

Furthermore, the ICC also states that a male-to-female trans player must ‘provide a written and signed declaration, in a form of satisfactory to the designated medical officer, that her gender identity is female’.