The Fare network is disappointed at the decisions announced today by the English Football Association (FA) and the Scottish FA (SFA) to ban transgender women from participating in women’s football.

These decisions have been made in the shadow of growing hostility towards transgender and gender-questioning people and fly in the face of the inclusion approach that football has championed in the UK.

By adopting formal bans on trans participation the FA and SFA now stand isolated from progressive federations worldwide that are pioneering inclusive policies grounded in science, dialogue, and human rights.

They have become the first in Europe to implement a ban. In addition, we are not aware of any other associations within FIFA who have gone as far as banning trans participation.

As influential bodies in European football, their actions risk legitimizing discrimination, emboldening associations elsewhere to bring in restrictive measures and undermining global efforts to ensure football remains a sport for everyone, everywhere.