GAA aims to approve transgender policy ahead of 2027 season

A transgender policy encompassing the GAA, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and the Camogie Association will be necessary as the organisations move towards integration

The GAA's Central Council has given the go ahead for a workgroup to complete a transgender policy document ahead of the 2027 season. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

The GAA are finalising a transgender policy that it is envisaged will be signed off in time for next year.

On Saturday, its Central Council gave the green light to a workgroup to complete a document ahead of the 2027 season.

The efforts of the sub-committee of the GAA’s medical, scientific and welfare committee were supported by delegates after they were provided with an update at the meeting in Croke Park.

A transgender policy encompassing all three Gaelic sports associations, the GAA, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and The Camogie Association, will be necessary as the bodies look to integrate in the coming years.

Currently, GAA clubs must sign up to the organisation’s inclusion policy, which states the unit “aims to ensure that all people irrespective of their age, gender, ability, disability, race, religion, ethnic, origin, creed, colour, nationality, social status or sexual orientation have a genuine and equal opportunity to participate in Gaelic Games at all levels and in all roles.” 

Three years ago, the LGFA published their own transgender policy. A child between the ages of 12 and 15 who has begun transitioning from male to female and intends to live their life as a female is permitted to play ladies football on the proviso there is confirmation from a qualified medical practitioner.

A transgender application committee, comprising five voluntary members including medical and legal experts, is charged with approving the requests.

A transgender player aged 16 or over can compete in women’s football only after providing medical records demonstrates their testosterone levels in the previous 12 months were less or equal to 10 nanomoles per litre.

Since 2022, the IRFU’s transgender policy restricts women’s rugby to those whose sex was recorded as female at birth. It follows the same approach taken by World Rugby, the RFU and other governing bodies in the sport.

Like the GAA, the Camogie Association do not currently have a transgender policy in place.

The FAI assesses the application of transgender women footballers on a case-by-case basis. Complying with Fifa and Uefa  directives, they are not permitted to play in the women’s premier league division but can do so at amateur level.

In 2024, Swim Ireland created a new competition category of open, encompassing athletes with a birth sex of male, transgender or non-binary competitors and any competitors not eligible for the female category. The female category would be restricted to athletes with a birth sex of female.

Other Olympic sports bodies have been reviewing their policies as the International Olympic Council looks to bring in genetic testing for the summer games in Los Angeles in 2028. Golf Ireland is in the process of updating its policy.

Two years ago, Sport Ireland issued guidance to assist the sport sector in developing policy for transgender and non-binary inclusion. Following months of consultation, it was found most people involved in sport sought the “protection of a female category assigned at birth” and fairness “should not be compromised through inclusion”.