A transgender footballer was accused of leaving a female player with a season-ending injury, illustrating the consequences of the FA's now-abandoned policy of inclusion. Trans woman Francesca Needham was said to have accidentally broken the knee of an opponent who blocked her shot during a match in October 2023. But rival players are said to have feared for their safety in matches against her, and at least four teams in the Sheffield women's league boycotted games in response.
One coach told The Telegraph at the time: 'Five minutes into our game it was obvious Francesca was biologically male. 'A lot of my harder-tackling players were bouncing off this person.' Ms Needham, 32, agreed to withdraw from games for Rossington Main FC Ladies following the incident – but said she was considering legal action.
Last summer she was said to have played three friendlies for another local team and scored five goals in an 8-4 win. Francesca Needham, 31, drew media attention last year after teams in Sheffield and Hallamshire Women's League refused to play against her due to 'safety' reasons Rival players are said to have feared for their safety in matches against her, and at least four teams in the Sheffield women's league boycotted games in response The FA was said to have discussed finding her a team at 'a higher level' under its former transgender policy, which dealt with individuals on a case-by-case basis. In contrast, two teenage footballers were sanctioned by the FA for asking whether trans women opponents were men.
A 17-year-old was found guilty of discrimination and banned for six games for asking a player, 'Are you a man? – and an 18-year-old received the same punishment for telling a referee an opponent was 'obviously a man'. It comes as transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football in England from June 1 after the Supreme Court ruling.
The FA said it had updated its policy in light of last month's ruling that the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex. The governing body's transgender inclusion policy had been updated just prior to that ruling in London on April 16, and continued to allow transgender women to play in women's football provided they reduced testosterone levels. Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football in England from June 1 after the Supreme Court ruling Nicknamed Fran, Needham withdrew from South Yorkshire's Rossington Main Ladies (pictured), which plays in an open age league that welcomes any woman above the age of 16 Those rule changes gave the FA ultimate discretion on permitting a trans woman to play, with consideration given to safety and fairness issues.
Now though, the FA has gone further and barred transgender women from the women's game after acting on legal advice. An FA spokesperson said: 'We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify. 'We are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game.'
