The Scottish Rugby Union has banned transgender women from completing in call rugby in the female category of the sporting activity.
The step complies with earlier choices from the English, Irish as well as Welsh unions, to name a few.
The brand-new plan enters impact on February 1 as well as complies with advice from World Rugby as well as the UK-wide Sports Councils’ Equality Group.
Transgender women might formerly take part in the women’s video game in Scotland relying on the result of a “thorough medical process including testosterone tests” before enrollment to play.
The plan will certainly be examined every year as well as if any kind of brand-new clinical information as well as study appears.
Transgender males might remain to play call rugby in the males’s category supplied a danger evaluation has actually been embarked on by their club as well as the result logged with the SRU.
A declaration from the SRU board checked out: “We all have a responsibility to look after the participants in our game, with their wellbeing and safety at the centre of everything we do.
“We fully acknowledge this is a difficult and sadly divisive societal issue, and that has been especially apparent over the last few months. Scottish Rugby has been mindful of this and aimed to deal with the issue in a sensitive manner.
“Inclusion is a bedrock of our sport. Scottish Rugby wishes to be as inclusive as possible and is only imposing such eligibility restrictions based on the guidance provided. The decision to amend our eligibility criteria was not taken lightly as we seek to address conflicting viewpoints.
“Our Gender Participation Policy recognises the need to balance considerations of safety and fairness with our underlying desire to be as inclusive as possible.
“At this moment in time, Scottish Rugby has opted to make a decision which puts safety first, based on the current research.”
