Cricket Australia announces a major transgender inclusion policy

Cricket Australia has announced a major new policy which sees transgender and gender diverse cricketers able to play cricket in line with their gender identity.

Erica James, a transgender cricket player in NSW, helped advise cricket Australia on these guidelines says its an important step forward for inclusion in elite sport.

“Cricket Australia’s vision is to be a sport for everyone,” Ms James told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

“Transgender people are people and Australians.

“It’s a human right to be able to play sport and you should be able to play in a team that you feel comfortable with.”

The new inclusion policy creates a pathway into the elite level for all people based on skill rather than gender.

“Cricket is a skill based sport, strength is not that relevant,” Ms James said.

“If you have the ability to play good cricket, it’s important that you have somewhere to go.

“It means that there is now a pathway, people won’t feel like they aren’t able to play a sport that they love.

For entry into the elite competition there will be testosterone level testing, it means that people will need to submit to testing and prove they are under a certain level of testosterone.

Elite female cricketers will be required to have blood testosterone levels maintained below 10 nano-moles per litre (nmol/L) for a year, in line with the International Cricket Council’s gender recognition policy.

“A female could play for the Australian men’s team and vice versa,” said Ms James.

“This will encourage transgender to really get out there and take up sport again.

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