From next month, transgender women will be banned from competing in the women’s division at most domestic tennis tournaments in England.
Current Lawn Tennis Association rules allow players to self-identify, but starting January 25, 2025, trans women and non-binary individuals who were assigned male at birth will only be able to compete in the male category in certain competitions. You can.
These include tennis and padel leagues and tournaments involving players from a variety of clubs and venues, from national championships to regional levels.
In-venue events such as club championships and social tournaments have been designated as unspecified, with policy decisions up to individual venues.
The LTA has no jurisdiction over international competitions such as Wimbledon, ATP, WTA or International Tennis Federation tournaments, so this policy only applies to domestic tennis.
Currently, trans women can compete in the women’s division of WTA and ITF events if they meet testosterone level limits.
The LTA has made opening tennis to all classes of society a key strategy, but has cited physiological benefits for men as a result of the policy change, including longer leverage and increased cardiovascular capacity.
“Tennis and padel are clearly gender-influenced sports, with the average man having an advantage when playing against the average woman,” the statement read.
“The current broad consensus, including the conclusion of a review conducted by the Sports Commission Equality Group, is that these advantages are likely to remain significant for trans women, potentially making the competition unfair.
“We are changing our policy to restrict trans women and non-binary individuals who were assigned male at birth from competing in the women’s category in competitions between designated venues.
The current rules allowing players to identify themselves will be discontinued in January 2025.
“We want to encourage local venues to be as inclusive as possible for transgender and non-binary individuals, providing them with the opportunity to compete in a friendly environment. In line with this, our own local tennis league products (played primarily in parks) are fully inclusive. It will remain as is.”
The new policy is the result of an 18-month process involving consultation with affected organizations and other sports, and the LTA has committed to reviewing the policy in the future.
“We recognize the diversity of opinion on this matter and would like to reassure the tennis community that the LTA will continue to listen to all views and keep its policies under review in response to new research and data and further guidance from other relevant bodies.” issued a statement.
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app. This will give Sky Sports customers access to over 50% more live sport at no extra cost this year. Stream the best sports including the new EFL season, Test cricket and more with NOW.
