Transsexual cleared to play in Australian Women's Soccer League

[ISiddiqui]

Very interesting... now since this person is 47, it may not have that much of an effect, but I wonder what the ultimate consequence will be.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Aussie transsexual cleared to play

Posted: Thursday June 23, 2005 12:55PM; Updated: Thursday June 23, 2005 12:55PM


HOBART, Tasmania (AP) -- A 47-year-old transsexual was cleared to play in an Australian women's soccer league after spending 25 years in men's leagues.

Martine Delaney, who used compete as Martin Delaney, received approval from Soccer Tasmania this week. She had a sex-change operation more than two years ago.

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Delaney, a human rights activist for many years, is surprised she has become front-page news in Australia.

"It's not the primary reason I decided to play, but it's given transgender issues some profile -- for sure," Delaney told The Associated Press by telephone. "I've had some wonderful reactions. An elderly lady recognized me and walked up to me, grabbed my arm and told me: 'Congratulations, you've done a good thing -- go for it, girl!"'

Football Federation Australia does not have a specific policy regarding transsexual players. But it advised Tasmanian state authorities that if Delaney was legally classified female, she qualified for the women's competition under guidelines adopted by the International Olympic Committee.

Delaney was tentative about returning to soccer but did so in recent months at the insistence of some girlfriends. She scored a half dozen goals for Claremont United in the women's division 1 competition before rival fans discovered Delaney's past and asked the state association for clarification.

Soccer Tasmania chief executive Martin Shaw gave the OK, saying state laws and the FFA's rules prohibited discrimination in Delaney's case.

Delaney works in a counseling agency for homosexual and transgender people in Hobart. She said she'd heard of Mianne Bagger, the Danish-born Australian who made headlines this year by forcing the European and Australasian women's golf tours to change their "male by birth" qualification criteria.

"My decision was threefold, I suppose," Delaney said. "I had a lifelong love of soccer and wanted to get back; I had some heart problems a few years back and my doctor told me I needed more exercise; and I thought it might make a difference."

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Kodos]

Awright! My quest to become a dominant force in professional sports just got a lot easier. *snip-snip*

[Franklinnoble]

Countdown to Richard Simmons photo in 3... 2....

[Marmel]

Congrats Neuqua! I told you that you could do it!!

[Glengoyne]

This should clear the way nicely for Shorty no?

[Neuqua]

You know you are proud of your joke when you PM me making sure I read it.

Bastard.

[Marmel]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

You know you are proud of your joke when you PM me making sure I read it.

Bastard.

Joke? what joke?

[Neuqua]

I'm not Aussie.