Two sports governing bodies have changed their transgender policies to protect the female category of competition, after a warning from Christian advocates and a former Olympian.
The Football Association of Wales and the Royal Yachting Association will now base their eligibility by biological sex rather than self-identified gender, after being threatened with legal action by Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADFI).
Letters sent to ten organisations in April were co-signed by the Women’s Sports Union, Olympic swimming medalist and Conservative peer Sharron Davies, and sailor Tracy Edwards. It came after the landmark supreme court ruling in April 2025 which determined that “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 referred to biological sex.
The two bodies have now agreed that sex-based categories would be determined based on sex assigned at birth.
A number of other sports organisations are reviewing eligibility policies following the letter, including Parkrun, Swim England and Rounders England.
Robert Clarke, director of advocacy at ADFI, said: “As a matter of law, the definition of sex is not up for debate. We have seen in the UK and beyond that allowing men into the female category erodes women and girls’ opportunities and places them at risk.
“The law and Britain’s highest court both recognise this, and the updated EHRC guidance reaffirms the critical importance of preserving single-sex spaces, services and sporting categories. In light of this, sporting bodies have a responsibility to ensure their policies reflect biology, not ideology. While some have updated their policies accordingly, others remain in breach of the law and continue to face substantial legal liability while being an increasingly obvious outlier.
“Alliance Defending Freedom remains committed to protecting women’s sports in the UK. Across the world, the tide is turning in favour of fairness, safety, and truth on this issue – and it is high time for UK sports bodies to follow suit.”
Baroness Davies added: “Whether they are elite athletes or participating at the amateur level, women and girls deserve to play sport in a safe and fair environment. Allowing men into the female category fundamentally undermines this, and it is shameful that some sporting bodies persist in ignoring the law, scientific evidence, and government guidance. These bodies must act immediately to amend their policies in line with biological reality.”