Danielle McGahey, the pioneering transgender cricketer who made history earlier in 2023 faces exclusion from women’s international cricket due to a significant amendment in the ICC’s gender eligibility guidelines. The newly ratified rules bar any player transitioning from male to female, having undergone male puberty, from participating in women’s international cricket, irrespective of surgeries or gender reassignment treatments.
McGahey, a 29-year-old batter hailing from Australia, relocated to Canada in 2020 and underwent a male-to-female transition in 2021. In September 2023, she represented Canada in the Women’s T20 Americas Qualifier, a crucial step towards the 2024 T20 World Cup. Across six T20Is, she showcased her prowess, accumulating 118 runs at an average of 19.66 and a brisk strike rate of 95.93. Following the regulatory adjustments, she voiced her sentiments on social media platforms, expressing her stance.
“Following the ICC’s decision this morning, it is with a very heavy heart that I must say that my international cricketing career is over. As quickly as it begun, it must now end. Thank you so much to everybody who has supported me in my journey, from my all of my teammates, all of the opposition, the cricketing community and my sponsor @willowleathercricket.” Danielle wrote.
“While I hold my opinions on the ICC’s decision, they are irrelevant. What matters is the message being sent to millions of trans women today, a messaging say that we don’t belong. I promise I will not stop fighting for equality for us in our sport, we deserve the right to play cricket at the highest level, we are not a threat to the integrity or safety of the sport. Never stop fighting!” she added.
Here’s Danielle McGahey’s latest post:
Danielle Mcgahey. (Photo Source: Instagram)
ICC termed the new rules have been drafted to protect players
The ICC justified its action to safeguard the sanctity of women’s international cricket and ensure player safety. Following a comprehensive nine-month discourse involving cricket’s key stakeholders, the board formally ratified the revised policy. Geoff Allardice, the ICC’s chief executive, clarified that the decision was a culmination of extensive consultations and was ultimately endorsed by the board, underscoring the necessity to uphold the sport’s integrity and players’ well-being.
”The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and is founded in science and aligned with the core principles developed during the review. Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players,” Allardice said.