Trans women can play in Dutch rugby competition: ruling body

The Dutch rugby association said on Wednesday that trans women will continue to be allowed to play in the national competition if they pass a risk assessment, despite concerns about their physical advantages.

The association set up a “group of experts” earlier this year to assess whether its current policy of allowing transgender women to play in women’s teams “needs to be adapted”, following the high-profile injury of at least one woman player.

In May, Britain’s Sunday Times reported on the case of Dutch player Elena King, who sustained a serious knee injury after being tackled by a trans woman during a premier league rugby match in the Netherlands.

King, who has played rugby since she was a little girl, says on her website that everyone has the right to enjoy the game of rugby and other sports. “However, trans women are stuck, and remain, in a male’s body which causes dangerous and unfair situations in sports,” she said.

Her concerns, the paper said at the time, are shared by other women, coaching staff and at least two clubs. Dutch News is also aware of concerns among club officials.

The Netherlands, unlike many other countries, had not adopted a formal policy on trans women (born male), though world rugby’s governing body has banned them from international women’s contact rugby since 2020.

However, the Netherlands has now decided that the women’s national competition will remain open to trans women from the age of 16. This will be preceded by a risk assessment and, if necessary, a medical review by the association. Trans men can play in the men’s competition from the age of 18.

In addition, if a player uses testosterone “for a better aligned gender experience,” then they will no longer be allowed to play in the women’s competition, the association said.

“Our goal is that no one feels excluded from our sport. This policy combines inclusion with the responsibility for safety and fairness,” said Rugby Nederland chairman Friso Horstmeier.  “In this way we are building a rugby community in which everyone can be themselves, both on and off the field.”

The new rules apply only to the Dutch competition, in which three trans women are thought to be currently playing. In the national side and other representative teams, trans women are not eligible to play under World Rugby rules.