- The ban could sideline her for the entire season
A teenager with suspected autism has denied being transphobic as she faces possible ban from football matches after asking a transgender opponent if he was a man.
The unnamed 17-year-old girl was charged last month by her province’s football association over comments she made to a transgender player during a friendly football match in July.
The charges include breaching the FA Code of Conduct, inappropriate behavior and inappropriate behavior aggravated by gender reassignment.
She faces a six-to-12-match ban if found guilty at a hearing expected to take place later this month, which could see her sidelined from the sport for an entire season.
The teenager was charged for making comments to her opponent such as “are you a man?”, “that’s a man” and “don’t come here anymore.”
FILE PHOTO: A teenager with suspected autism has denied being transphobic as she faces possible ban from football matches after asking a transgender opponent if they were male
FILE PHOTO: The unnamed 17-year-old girl was charged last month by her province’s soccer association over comments she made to a transgender player while playing a friendly soccer match in July
Her opponent was a man.
According to The Telegraph, the girl admitted that she asked a bearded player if he was a man.
She also reportedly asked the referee about the trans player’s ability to play in women’s football, given her concerns for her “safety having already undergone a number of excessive physical challenges.”
The teenager was charged after a complaint was made about her through Kick It Out, a British-based anti-discrimination watchdog.
The complaint included a statement from the trans player and the captain of the opposing team, accusing her of transphobia.
However, the distraught girl has denied being transphobic.
She is currently being tested for autism, and it is common for autistic people to have difficulty expressing their feelings about gender.
‘The moment the player clarified that he was transgender (which I had not previously considered), I fully respected their response, dropped the situation and immediately shifted my focus back to the game before seeking advice from the referee. At no time was my question intended to be hurtful or malicious, as I simply wanted to seek clarity in an unfamiliar situation. Now that I know the player was transgender, I understand there were better ways to approach this question,” the teen said in a written statement.
The teenager’s mother has labeled the charges against the young footballer as ‘very unfair’
She added that she had “expressed concerns about the risk of serious injury if a 17-year-old girl plays against a biological male who was much bigger than me and a very physical player, which may have been a safety issue as I did . doesn’t want to get dangerously injured just before the start of a new season.’
The teenager’s mother has described the charges against the young footballer as ‘very unfair’.
“I’m just furious.”
MailOnline has contacted the FA for comment.
The incident raises major questions about the FA’s decision to allow players who were biologically born male to take part in football matches.
The FA’s current transgender policy is based on a testosterone suppression model and uses ultimate discretion over whether or not a transgender woman can register, allowing her to manage this on a case-by-case basis.
Blood testosterone levels should be within a certain range and hormone treatment should be monitored annually.
There are currently no transgender women playing in professional football, or on their way to professional football in any of the Home Nations.