A war of words has broken out between Australian basketball legends, with Andrew Gaze saying he “doesn’t understand” why controversial star Andrew Bogut has a problem with a transgender woman playing in a women’s league.
It comes after Bogut posted a call to action of sorts on Monday morning, writing about his disgust that the semi-professional women’s league NBL1 South, which incorporates teams from Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, will reportedly allow him to play a ‘ biological man’. .
‘It is said that NBL1 South Women will have a biological male playing this upcoming season. Do you agree with sacrificing the sanctity of women’s sport in the name of ‘inclusion’? he wrote.
It quickly ignited a firestorm of controversy, with top basketball players Chloe Bibby, Saraid Taylor, Anneli Maley and Marena Whittle outraged that Bogut spoke up for them when they supported a transgender player competing in the league.
Opals great Michelle Timms stood by the players and said she “wouldn’t have a problem with that” before NBL top player Gaze explained exactly why she thinks Bogut couldn’t be more wrong.
Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze, pictured with his wife Melinda and daughters Courtney, Phoebe, Annie and son Mason, gave a brilliant reason why he doesn’t understand Bogut’s problem with a transgender player in a women’s league.
NBA star Andrew Bogut recently expressed his disgust at the prospect of a “biological male” playing in a women’s league, drawing swift criticism from across the sport.
“This confronted me personally,” Gaze explained on his show. the race home with Andy Maher on SEN Radio.
‘My daughter plays Australian rules football and there is a woman who was born biologically as a man who is playing.
“When I went there for warm-ups and I look at the other end and I’m like ‘wow, that’s a big girl’…and [wonder] what kind of impact it will have.
‘Well, I saw that single play three times, absolutely not even a problem. Yeah [she was] very good, but not more dangerous, not more physical.
‘With the sport of basketball and the nature of the rules, to use the argument [that Bogut made] that someone who has transitioned is going to be more dangerous than a woman, I don’t understand that argument.’
Gaze and his wife Melinda have four children, all over the age of 20: Courtney, Phoebe, Annie, and Mason.
The seven-time NBL MVP winner went on to say that he thought a transgender woman competing in the NBL1 South was a brilliant thing for both the sport and the individual involved, in direct opposition to Bogut’s point.
Gaze and his wife Melinda with their four children on Christmas Day 2021: Courtney, Phoebe, Annie and Mason
Boomers legend Andrew Gaze plays in the 1996 Olympics. The Australian great won seven NBL MVP awards
The Boomers and the great NBL then pointed to the club the player would compete for, Kilsyth, and the league in general.
‘They’ve transitioned, they’ve met eligibility. I think it’s fantastic, and I wish it wasn’t a story,” Gaze said.
‘I don’t understand the arguments of people who say that this is a bad thing.
Here’s the good stuff. People who have or are going through or have made the decision to transition, it’s terribly bad the way they’re treated, [but] Here is an example in which sport can intervene and help in this transition process.
‘I understand you are welcome. This guy is not going to dominate the team, and he’s not going to have any impact other than (to be) great for her and great for the team. And I think it’s a fantastic situation.
Earlier, Gaze and Maher got into a heated argument, with the anger directed at Bogut, not each other, over why a transgender woman playing in a women’s league was even a problem.
“There are some who would argue that if you are born male, then you have a biological advantage that is unfair to you to compete with women,” Gaze said, trying to explain Bogut’s comments.
Andrew Gaze (left) and Andy Maher (right) got into a heated argument about a transgender player on their radio show on Wednesday.
A heated Maher chimed in: “A transgender woman is a woman.” Gaze then said ‘I agree with you’, before Maher immediately responded.
“It’s a question of law, it’s not a question of agreeing with me,” he said.
Maher then took aim at Bogut for igniting hatred and fueling the fire by attacking both the player involved and the league’s competitors who spoke up in her defense.
‘What does he do? [Bogut] basis that [saying a transgender female playing in a women’s league would ‘sacrifice its sanctity’] in? Do you understand that sports have thought about the eligibility process for a long period of time? Maher questioned.
‘These are very considerate and take into account a wide range of factors.
‘Clearly your sport [basketball] she has reached a position where all the criteria are met, and this woman, who has gone through a transition process, can now play with other women.
“If you have a problem with the eligibility process and feel they are not strict enough, or allow a transgender athlete to transition too early, please explain it then.”
Despite Maher not expressing any opinion on Bogut’s motives, the NBA champion took to social media to share his disgust at the former’s comments: “Take it seriously, radio host Andy Maher says I posted it for clickbait”.
Maher then moved to clear up Bogut’s ‘misinformation’: ‘Good morning, Andrew. By all means, head over to yesterday’s show podcast and give it a listen. If you can find any reference to ‘clickbait’ please let me know. It seems you have been misinformed.
Bogut, pictured with his son Luca in 2019, doubled down on his criticism, even accusing those responsible for making the eligibility decision as “biased.”
Bogut has criticized the women’s NBL1 South league for allegedly allowing a ‘biological male’ to play in the competition this year (pictured: last season’s champions Ringwood)
Bogut doubled down on his comments in the face of a wave of criticism Tuesday, including saying the board responsible for approving a transgender player is biased.
“There’s actually a board of experts that sits down, both basketball experts and doctors, who determine whether he should be allowed to transition, and when you look at the backgrounds of these experts and their previous jobs…it’s quite a board. skewed”. he said.
“It’s part of human nature to suggest that everyone is biased, but that’s a very, very biased panel of experts,” said Bogut, who gave no examples of how they were biased.
In response, the game’s governing body, which has a heavy focus on inclusion, indicated that they were very disappointed in the storm of controversy that Bogut had stirred up on social media.
“It has been disappointing to see the negative comments and hurtful language used on social media over the past 24 hours since it became public that Basketball Victoria had received a request for a transgender athlete to play in the NBL1 South competition,” the statement read. a statement.
‘Basketball Australia prides itself on being a sport for all, ensuring that all participants experience a welcoming, fair and inclusive environment.
“We ask for your patience and understanding as we support Basketball Victoria in navigating through this complex space with integrity and respect for all involved, and we also thank those in the community who have shown sensitivity at this time.”