AFL to decide transgender Mouncey's plea

The AFL says it will make a decision within a week on whether to allow a transgender player join a women's team in Victoria.

The AFL says it has a clear process in place as it decides whether to allow transgender player Hannah Mouncey to play women's state football.

Mouncey is awaiting the league's verdict on whether she can play in Victoria after she was denied entry in the 2017 AFLW draft.

The 28-year-old, who came to national attention over her attempt to join the national competition, began her gender transition in 2015 then joined Ainslie in the ACT women's league.

"There's a process. This is a very difficult area," AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said on Tuesday.

"We have a clear process established with, I think, the right people involved.

"What I've been advised is a decision (will be) made in the next week or so."

At least one transgender person played with a Victorian club last year in a local league and Mouncey says there are up to 50 more around the country.

The 190cm ruck says she was told in a meeting with league officials last week she could continue playing in Canberra.

But the former international handball player says they appeared confused about the effects of gender transition and hormone treatment on strength.

"I only do media because that's the only time the AFL answers my Q's," she tweeted late on Monday.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't."

The AFL follows International Olympic Committee protocols, which state athletes must prove their testosterone count is below a certain level.

But the league has previously argued its game is quite different from a number of Olympic sports.

It's understood Mouncey meets the IOC requirements.

The AFL's decision to forbid her from the semi-professional AFLW last year is understood to have been based on guidelines for Victorian equal opportunity legislation.

The act allows sporting competitions to stop people gaining an unfair competitive advantage in single-sex competitions in which strength, stamina or player physique is relevant.


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Published 6 February 2018 1:46pm
Source: AAP


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