An amateur Australian soccer team has stirred controversy after the squad, which includes five transgender women, dominated a women-only tournament and claimed the $1,000 prize, according to a report.
According to a Daily Telegraph, the Sydney-based Flying Bats FC went undefeated during the four-week tournament, including one game in which one of the transgender women scored six goals en route to a 10-0 beatdown.
Some officials believe the Flying Bats, which are backed by Pride Football Australia, should instead play in mixed-gender games that include men and women.
“Our girls are here to play for fun and expect to play in the female competition. They did not sign up for a mixed competition,” one senior club official said.
“Some of the parents were so concerned they would not let their daughters play,” the official continued.
“It was so disheartening for them to see the huge difference in ability — they’re killing it.”
Kirralie Smith, a spokesperson for Binary Australia, an advocacy group that maintains that there are only two genders, told The Daily Telegraph the league is putting the players at risk.
She claimed that some girls were told not to complain or forfeit in protest for fear of repercussions.
The Flying Bats Football Club president Jen Peden defended the club’s tournament victory and said the team stands for inclusion and “trans women belong in the women’s competition because that is the gender with which they identify”.
“As a club, the Flying Bats FC stand strongly for inclusion, and pride ourselves on safe, respectful and fair play, the promotion of a supportive community for LGBTQIA+ players, officials and supporters, and the significant physical, social and mental health benefits that participation in sport brings, especially to marginalized members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We are a club that values our cisgender and transgender players equally,” Peden said.
“We strongly support the Australian Human Rights Commission’s guidelines for the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse people in sport,” she added, noting there have been transgender players in the club for 20 years.
A spokesman for Football NSW told The Daily Telegraph the league takes “pride in being at the forefront of developing inclusive policies for the sport in Australia and operates within the existing legal framework, including antidiscrimination legislation.”
