Biology rules in UK football. The Football Association (FA) has revised the rules for trans identified players.

Males who identify as women can no longer play in female divisions. They can play in male, open or mixed competitions. 

Females who identify as men can play in the male competitions but they must sign a declaration stating they are female and understand the risks of injury.

The form, which is needed to be completed by all trans men who want to play in FA competitions in the 2025-26 season, contains a player declaration section which states: “I am a biological female whose gender identity is male or non-binary who would like to compete in open age matches and competitions that are reserved for men.”

The declaration also requires players to sign that they agree "there are physiological and performance differences between adult biological females and adult biological males.

“As a result, adult biological females have a greater risk of injury when playing against adult biological males than when playing against adult biological females; and my treatment will not fully alleviate those differences and consequential increased safety risks.”

It also requires testosterone levels to be "in the normal adult male range" of 7.7 to 29.4 nanomoles per litre of blood.

It is quite ironic though that females have to take testosterone drugs to be eligible to compete with males, where drug taking in sport is usually penalised.

No human can change their sex. Sex categories for sport were implemented to ensure fairness, safety and dignity for all participants. There is absolutely no reason to make special considerations or rules for how people identify. Sport simply needs to be decided according to biological reality. No one is banned or excluded, they simply participate according to their sex category.

Politicians are making fools of themselves trying to convince people transwomen are women and transmen are men by stating the lie on a piece of paper. It might be legal to rewrite history and biological facts on birth certificates and other identity documents but it doesn’t trump the fact that no one can change sex.

Sports, prisons, rape crisis services, changerooms etc should never be determined by lies on a piece of paper. Sex-based services, spaces and sport are necessary and rely on reality, not fantasy to operate safely and fairly.

^{Image source: Sportsgazette, Football v. Transphobia Jersey. Photo/OutSports}