Controversial footballer banned from tournament over ‘high testosterone’ wins BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year

A footballer who missed a major tournament following a row over gender suitability due to high testosterone levels has been named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year.

Zambia and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda received the most votes from readers of the BBC Sport website after being included on a five-player shortlist.

Banda’s entry into contention for the annual prize was criticized by women’s rights groups as she previously ruled herself out of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations due to high testosterone levels.

Her victory was announced today in a report on the BBC Sport website, which made no mention of the controversy over her inclusion.

Second place went to Spanish and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati and American and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith came third, while compatriot Naomi Girma and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen were also nominated.

Banda, who watched her play for Orlando Pride last Saturday and walk past Washington Spirit’s Tara McKeown, has thanked voters, her family and her teammates for helping her win the BBC award

Banda (left) was on the five-player shortlist for the award, alongside Spain’s Aitana Bonmati, America’s Naomi Girma and Sophia Smith and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen

Banda, 24, said: ‘I am shocked and surprised to have this award on my side.

“I would like to thank the people who voted and everyone who played a role in my life and career: my family, my national team in Zambia and especially the Pride team. It’s for everyone.’

The Women’s Rights Network had accused the broadcaster of bringing women’s sport into “disrepute” by shortlisting Banda.

The five nominees were chosen by a panel of experts involved in football around the world, including coaches, players, administrators and non-BBC journalists.

The company’s reporting today said: ‘This panel was not made up of BBC staff, and the winner was chosen by the public.’

Banda was left out of Zambia’s squad for the Women’s African Cup of Nations two years ago after it was claimed at the time that she had failed a gender test.

It later emerged that she had not been tested by the tournament organisers, but she was pre-emptively left out when team bosses became aware that her testosterone levels were higher than permitted by the Confederation of African Football.

The former professional boxer, who was registered female at birth according to the Associated Press, is said to have refused to take suppressants to lower her levels out of concern about possible side effects.

Barbra Banda, pictured playing for her club club Orlando Pride in September, said of her individual award win: ‘I am shocked and surprised to have this award by my side’

Banda signed a four-year contract with the Orlando Pride in March, earning approximately $2 million

Barbra Banda has become the tenth winner of the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award

An investigation last year by the Telegraph found there was no suggestion that Banda’s testosterone levels were ‘anything but naturally occurring’.

Her agent Anton Maksimov previously said it was untrue that she had failed a gender test and that she was removed based on an “evaluation of her physical condition.”

He said in a statement at the time of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations: “As her official representative, I can state that Barbra has not been excluded or suspended from participating in the ongoing WAFCON by CAF, FAZ, FIFA or any other organization. governing body.

“She did not undergo any ‘gender verification’ or ‘gender suitability tests’ administered prior to the tournament and therefore did not fail. Barbra is also very healthy and fit.

‘The decision not to allow Barbra to appear at the tournament at this time is an internal decision by FAZ, based on their own assessment of her physical conditions before she came to Morocco.

“I reiterate that nothing, no existing regulations that we are aware of, prevents Barbra’s participation in WAFCON 2022. Barbra has also failed medical tests in this regard.”

Yet there has been criticism of the recently announced decision to nominate her for the BBC award.

The WRN campaign group posted a furious statement on safety for women.

She said: ‘I would like to thank the people who voted and everyone who played a part in my life and my career – my family, my national team in Zambia and especially the Pride team’

Banda, seen here playing for Zambia against Australia in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, received the most votes from readers of the BBC Sport website

“The failure of female footballers to achieve gender eligibility inevitably raises questions about their gender.”

Round the world sailor Tracy Edwards also questioned why Banda was shortlisted, as she wrote on @BBCSport Would you like to respond?!!!!’

Former Team GB Olympian Sharron Davies also joined the queue when she reposted Edwards’ message to her 254,000 followers on X.

And in response to a fellow

A BBC spokesperson said last month: ‘As well as playing at the past two Olympic Games and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Barbra Banda also plays for the Zambian women’s national team and in the US for Orlando Pride, making her fully eligible for nomination for the award. which celebrates talent in women’s football.

‘The five-player shortlist was determined by an expert panel made up of current and former professionals, coaches and journalists who looked at players’ performances over the past twelve months to narrow down the shortlist for the prestigious award.’

Banda represented Zambia at Paris 2024, where she scored a hat-trick against Australia and became Africa’s all-time top scorer in Olympic football history with 10 goals.

She became the second most expensive women’s footballer in history when American side Orlando Pride signed the international for $740,000 (£565,000) in March.

Barbra Banda was filmed celebrating her award win with colleagues from Orlando Pride

Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies has said the BBC will ‘never disappoint’ as she joined online criticism of Barbra Banda’s nomination for this latest award

With a contract worth around $500,000 (£382,000) per year, Banda is one of the highest-paid players in the NWSL.

When Orlando Pride announced her signing, sporting director Haley Carter described Banda as “a natural goalscorer and one of the most physically imposing strikers in the world.”

Banda himself said in a BBC promotional video when the shortlist for the award was announced: ‘I want to be the greatest footballer in the world, everyone can read about me and say, “Okay, we had Barbra Banda”.

‘Putting on my Zambian shirt is very important to me. We qualified for the Olympics and I managed to score another hat trick. It was a great moment for me.’