Two U.K. sports governing bodies have changed their eligibility policies to restrict female categories to biological sex, following legal warnings over the inclusion of transgender women.
The Football Association of Wales and the Royal Yachting Association amended their eligibility criteria after receiving formal legal warnings issued to 10 sports organizations.
The warnings were drafted by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International for a campaign by the Women’s Sports Union, co-founded by Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies and record-breaking sailor Tracy Edwards.
“The Football Association of Wales and others have taken important steps to restore safety and fairness in women’s sport, in line with the law, science, and common sense,” said Davies.
The letters warned that allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports violates the U.K. Equality Act 2010 and a landmark April 16, 2025, U.K. Supreme Court ruling. In For Women Scotland Ltd v. The Scottish Ministers, the court unanimously held that the word "woman" refers to biological sex in the Equality Act.
ADF International warned that organizations failing to update their policies face immediate legal liability.
The legal letters cited Section 195 of the Equality Act, which allows sex-based restrictions in competitive activities where differences in physical strength, stamina, or physique affect fairness or safety. The legal group also cited updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission requiring participation in gender-affected sports to be based on biological sex, noting these biological advantages apply even in non-contact sports like pool.
Following a review of the legal framework, the Football Association of Wales announced that eligibility for sex-reserved competitions will now be determined by birth sex.
The Royal Yachting Association released an updated policy stating it will apply sex-based rules on the basis of biological or birth sex for events where it serves as the organizing authority. However, local clubs may still set their own criteria, which ADF International noted risks leaving compliance to local discretion.
Other sports bodies that received warnings have also begun reviewing their policies. Swim England announced a review of its eligibility policy, while Parkrun and Rounders England are also conducting policy assessments.
Davies welcomed the initial changes but called for further action across all sports.
"Every policy change that protects the female category and reflects biological truth is a victory for women and girls across the country, whose opportunities, safety and enjoyment of sport have too often been sacrificed for the sake of a false ideology," she said.
"The law, the Supreme Court ruling and the EHRC Code of Practice are crystal-clear: there is no excuse for inaction."
Robert Clarke, director of advocacy at ADF International in London, said sports bodies must comply with statutory definitions.
"As a matter of law, the definition of sex is not up for debate," he said.
"The law and Britain’s highest court both recognise this, and the updated EHRC guidance reaffirms the critical importance of preserving single-sex spaces, services and sporting categories. In light of this, sporting bodies have a responsibility to ensure their policies reflect biology, not ideology."
