Table Tennis England bans transgender women from women’s competitions
Table Tennis England has announced that transgender women will no longer be permitted to participate in women’s competitions from the start of the 2026/27 season in August, reports BritPanorama.
The governing body is revising its eligibility rules to require players to compete in categories matching their biological sex. This policy shift follows a recent Supreme Court judgment clarifying that references to “woman” and “sex” within the Equality Act pertain exclusively to biological women and biological sex.
The updated regulations are in their final consultation stages and will apply to competitions overseen by the national governing body. However, amateur and casual matches outside its jurisdiction will not be affected.
The decision has garnered support from various figures, including Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters, who described it as “great to see Table Tennis England restoring common sense and fairness for women.” Olympic silver medallist Sharron Davies also expressed her support while voicing frustration over the extended implementation period.
On social media, Ms. Davies questioned the timeline, stating, “So it’s unlawful to have men in women’s competition. It was always unlawful and still women have to wait till next August for table tennis (or any other sport breaking the law) to abide by the law?!”
This policy aligns Table Tennis England with a growing number of sports that have amended their transgender participation regulations this year. Other sports such as pool, tennis, cricket, and netball have similarly revised their eligibility criteria for women’s competitions. The English Football Association has also prohibited transgender women from competing in the women’s game, citing legal advice for its decision.
Notably, the most prominent transgender table tennis player, Luca Kumahara, a Brazilian who represented his country at three Olympic Games, now competes in the men’s category after acknowledging in 2022 that continuing in women’s events was not ideal.
Senior minister Pat McFadden addressed the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling, stating that the decision “will be implemented,” though he did not commit to a specific timeline. Speaking to Sky News, he emphasised the importance of getting guidance correct, stating that poorly drafted rules could expose governing bodies to greater legal risks.
The Government has been in possession of draft guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission since September. Mr McFadden concluded, “We’ll get it right, rather than give an arbitrary date.” Such discussions reflect broader societal tensions within sport, where the interplay of inclusivity and fairness continues to spark debate.
