Canadian cricketer Daniele McGahey announced her retirement from international cricket, hours after the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned transgender cricketers in a landmark ruling on Tuesday, November 21. McGahey who became the first transgender player to feature in international cricket earlier this year expressed disappointment with the global cricket body’s ruling and said the fight for inclusivity would continue.
In a heartfelt post on social media, Daniele McGahey said she had no other option but to retire from international cricket after the ICC’s ruling came through on Tuesday.
“Following the ICC’s decision this morning, it is with a very heavy heart that I must say that my international cricketing career is over. As quickly as it begun, it must now end. Thank you so much to everybody who has supported me in my journey, from my all of my teammates, all of the opposition, the cricketing community, and my sponsor,” McGahey, the 29-year-old, cricketer wrote.
The ICC said that its Board approved ‘new gender eligibility regulations’ according to which “any Male to Female participants who have been through any form of male puberty will not be eligible to participate in the international women’s game regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken”.
The ICC said the decision was taken following a 9-month consultation process with the stakeholders of the sport after a review was led by tits Medical Advisory Committee.
Questions are being asked about the ICC ruling, with a few accusing the global cricket body of discrimination. ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said that the global body is focused on inclusivity but that its priority is “to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players”.
McGahey did not hold back, sharing her view on the ICC ruling and the messaging it sent to the transgender community.
“While I hold my opinions on the ICC’s decision, they are irrelevant. What matters is the message being sent to millions of trans women today, a messaging say that we don’t belong. I promise I will not stop fighting for equality for us in our sport, we deserve the right to play cricket at the highest level, we are not a threat to the integrity or safety of the sport (sic),” McGahey said.
