Danielle McGahey of Canada will turn into the primary transgender cricketer to play in a global match when she represents her adopted nation through the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup qualifier in Bangladesh.
The 29-year-old McGahey, a gap batter, has been chosen in Canada’s ladies’s squad for the following month’s qualifying match after she fulfilled ICC’s eligibility standards for male-to-female transgender gamers.
The qualifying match can be performed in Los Angeles from September 4 to 11.
Canada will tackle Argentina, Brazil and the United States within the ICC Americas Qualifier for a spot within the Global Qualifiers.
“I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do,” McGahey was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
McGahey moved to Canada from Australia in February 2020 and commenced her social transition from a person to a girl in November 2020. She began medical transition in May 2021.
McGahey’s participation in worldwide cricket is a giant forward-looking step by ICC as a part of the sport’s governing physique’s coverage of equal rights.
According to ICC’s participant eligibility laws launched in 2018 (and amended in 2021) trans ladies wishing to play ladies’s worldwide cricket should exhibit “the concentration of testosterone in her serum has been less than 5 nmol/L1 continuously for a period of at least 12 months, and that she is ready, willing and able to continue to keep it below that level for so long as she continues to compete”.
It additional states {that a} trans cricketer should “provide a written and signed declaration, in a form of satisfactory to the designated medical officer, that her gender identity is female”.
On permitting McGahey to be the primary transgender to play worldwide cricket, the ICC mentioned in a press release: “We can confirm that Danielle went through the process as required under the ICC’s player eligibility regulations and as a result has been deemed eligible to participate in international women’s cricket on the basis that she satisfies the MTF transgender eligibility criteria.”
McGahey mentioned she is doing all the things doable in her capability to grasp her dream of taking part in worldwide cricket.
“In order to determine (my testosterone levels), I’ve been doing blood tests every month now for over two years. I also have to put in my player profile who I have played against and how many runs I’ve scored,” she mentioned.
“A lot of work with my doctor sending my medical information through to the ICC… they have a dedicated medical officer who looks over all of the information provided, and determines whether or not I have provided enough for an expert panel to make a decision.
“The need to do blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge because when you are playing cricket you are travelling a lot,” McGahey mentioned.
McGahey drew Cricket Canada selectors’ consideration together with her batting exploits through the nation’s ladies’s inter-provincial match, which allows a transgender participant to take part primarily based solely on gender self-identification.
McGahey then went on to signify Canada in 4 T20 matches on the South American Championships in October 2022. But these video games weren’t accorded worldwide standing.
“Obviously I felt a huge sense of pride. Not only for what I’m doing, but for my (trans) community. Being able to represent them,” McGahey mentioned.
Cricket Canada mentioned McGahey’s was chosen within the crew as she fulfilled all ICC’s laws.
“Danielle’s (McGahey) selection was based on ICC’s player eligibility regulations for male-to-female transgender players.
“Danielle sent through her application to the ICC and Cricket Canada followed the process as per the ICC rules, which made Danielle’s selection to the Canadian team possible,” a Cricket Canada spokeperson mentioned.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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