Danielle McGahey, originally coming from Australia, is on the brink of making history as the inaugural transgender cricketer to compete in a women’s T20I match for Canada. It’s an exciting occasion as Danielle finds her place in Canada’s team for a critical qualification tournament, a significant step on their route to the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup slated in Bangladesh.
The cricketer perfectly met all the requirements laid out by the International Cricket Council (ICC). In 2020, Danielle moved from Australia to Canada and then underwent a gender transition, becoming a woman within the same year. Filled with joy for becoming the trailblazer in representing the transgender community, Danielle openly discussed the procedures she went through to earn her place in the team setup.
“I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do. 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,” Danielle told BBC Sport.
“The need to do blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge because when you are playing cricket you are travelling a lot. It’s very personal in terms of the information you are giving over – all your medical information, history of puberty, any surgeries. There’s a lot in it. But the protocols are there and it has been used as intended,” she further added.
According to the ICC’s eligibility guidelines, a trans woman interested in participating in women’s international cricket must maintain a consistent serum testosterone concentration of less than 5 nmol/L1 for a minimum of 12 months. Additionally, she should confirm her commitment and capability to sustain this level while competing.
Furthermore, the ICC specifies that a trans athlete who has transitioned from male to female must provide a written and personally signed statement, in a format acceptable to the designated medical officer. This statement should affirm her gender identity as female.
