Ban for ‘autistic’ female teenager after transgender comment is condemned in House of Lords

The six-match ban handed to a young female footballer for asking a “bearded” transgender opponent, “are you a man?” has been condemned in the House of Lords by Lord Triesman, the former Football Association chairman.

The life peer denounced the county FA that charged the 17-year-old, who has suspected autism, and the FA itself over its rules allowing those born male to play in the women’s game, adding of the matter: “I don’t intend to let it rest.”

The comments by Lord Triesman, who had highlighted the young woman’s plight in a letter to Debbie Hewitt, FA chair, and Mark Bullingham, FA chief executive, after Telegraph Sport revealed the 17-year-old was facing a 12-match ban, prompted cries of, “hear, hear”, from fellow peers in the House of Lords.

Lord Triesman said it had been found during his time as FA chairman between 2008 and 2010 that games involving both those born male and female had “tended to produce an unfair competition” and “a very, very significant number of injuries”.

He added: “And, so I say with regret this afternoon, shame on the Lancashire County Football Association, backed up by the FA itself, because an autistic 17-year-old girl has been banned for 12 matches (six matches) for asking about whether a large, and really quite aggressive bearded trans woman, was authorised to play in the competition in which she was playing. She was immediately accused [of] transphobia and Lancashire seemed to take no account of her neurodiversity. But, I must say, that she seems to me to have been treated in a shabby way, and I don’t intend to let it rest.”

Lord Triesman, who Telegraph Sport has been told has been invited to meet current FA chiefs to discuss his concerns, was joined in condemning the teenager’s ban by Baroness Fox, the former Brexit Party MEP.

‘She was put in the dock by the FA’

Hailing her fellow peer’s “persistence and courage in pushing this issue of fairness and safety in women’s football” during what was a debate on the new Football Governance Bill on Wednesday evening, Baroness Fox said of the teenager’s plight: “Ironically, she was put in the dock by the FA on the same week that the FA announced its new disability policy, entitled, ‘Football Without Limits’. No limits unless you’re a young, autistic woman who offends gender ideology, it seems. So much for inclusion.”

As revealed by Telegraph Sport this week, hundreds of women are planning a protest at England’s Nations League game against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday over the teenager’s punishment. She was banned last month for six matches, four of which were suspended for a year.

Telegraph Sport has agreed not to name her because of her being a child and on the assessment pathway for autism.

An FA spokesman said: “Millions of people play grass-roots football every week and we are proud of the many opportunities that are available to those who wish to play and enjoy the game.

“We understand that this is a complex matter, and we are very aware and respectful of strong views on all sides. This particular case was heard by an independent National Serious Case Panel, and they issued a sanction for a breach of FA rules.

“However, considering the ongoing public discussion – which has included some inaccurate information – it is important to note that the sanction was for two matches only, with an additional four matches suspended. If the details of the case had been limited to those currently in the public domain, it is highly likely that no sanction would have been issued at all.

“We have said previously that this is a complex case, all the facts are not in the public domain, and we are unable to publish more detail due to the age of one of the people involved.”