Ice Hockey UK Chairman Lord Clifton Wrottesley has been a vocal critic of allowing biological males facing off against women. During a speech in the House of Lords in December, for example, he suggested it was "tantamount to doping" and put female athletes in danger.
"Ice Hockey UK is currently coordinating discussions between the governing bodies and leagues to deliver a transgender policy that brings the sport together and prioritises player safety above all else," the governing body's CEO Henry Staelens said in a statement, per the Telegraph. "The extensive process also includes consulting with players, coaches, external agencies across government, the international federation and relevant groups."
Staelens said the discussions will conclude in the following weeks, with the policy scheduled to be released by July.
As the Telegraph reports, current rules allow female players as young as 14 to play on adults teams, typically with others far older than them. The inclusion of biological males in those leagues has created safety concerns both on and off the ice.
"I'm watching my 15-year-old daughter taking on fully grown men and thinking this isn't right," one concerned father told the outlet. "It's dangerous, it's unfair, and there's no good reason for it." He pointed out that despite the fact that mixed teams exist, the males "insist on playing in the ladies' team." Some players have also spoken out about the prospect of biological male players joining them in the change rooms.
During his aforementioned address, Wrottesley said it all came down to "consent," noting that those involved should "not have it imposed upon them against their will by an ill-equipped governing body, or have the issue hijacked by extreme gender ideology and people with aberrent or criminal intent."
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