The AFL’s decision to let a transgender Adelaide footy player compete in the local women’s competition has caused widespread fury, with a host of international stars speaking out against the decision.

Transgender Westminster Old Scholars player Freya Golding has been officially given the tick of approval to take to the field in the Adelaide Footy League women’s competition (AdFL).

That is despite three separate clubs lodging formal duty-of-care complaints citing safety concerns over several incidents during the current season, in particular an alleged off-the-ball hit in Round 5 of the competition.

Under guidelines, a player can be individually assessed if concerns are raised that their participation poses an unacceptable risk to themselves or other players, and formal complaints into an individual player can lead to a review by the AFL’s Gender Diversity Policy Committee, as occurred in Golding’s case.

However, the AFL’s Gender Diversity Policy Committee ruled it was not satisfied that Golding’s participation carried an unacceptable safety risk.

Golding, who reportedly stands about 6ft 2in and weighs more than 90kg, previously played in the league’s men’s competition.

But while transgender women seeking to compete in the AFLW and state leagues must meet testosterone requirements, those in lower-level community competitions are generally permitted to compete in women’s leagues based on gender identity.

No longer identify as male, Golding has and continues to be allowed to compete.

But that hasn’t gone down well. Tennis icon Martina Navratilova is one of many to speak out against the decision.

The Czech-American took to social media to write: “Australia is really messed up when it comes to women’s rights”.

British actor and comedian John Cleese, best known for his roles with the Monty Python comedy group, also was left seeing red, describing the decision as “pure madness” on social media.

Stephanie Bastiaan, head of advocacy at Women’s Forum Australia, an independent organisation that campaigns on women’s issues, spoke out about the matter on X.

“Our position is that male-born players shouldn’t be in women’s sports full stop,” Bastiaan said, citing the decision to allow Golding to compete in the local women’s competition.

It comes as Adelaide Footy League (AdFL) chief John Kernahan told Code Sports he was disappointed with the Committee’s determination.

“Our disappointment does not arise because the AFL reached a different conclusion than our own, it arises because we are no longer convinced the AFL was ever capable of reaching another one,” Kernahan said.

“The AFL drafted the policy, the AFL promoted the policy, the AFL appointed the committee to oversee the policy, the AFL assessed the evidence of the policy, and ultimately the AFL delivered the verdict on the policy … in other words, the AFL marked its own homework.”

News.com.au has contacted the AFL for comment.

Meanwhile, Golding told 9News that they just want to play the sport they love.

“I’m not the biggest and tallest player going around and by no means am I a dominant player. I’ve had some good moments, but it’s rare I get in the best players,” Golding told 9NEWS.

“I just want to play the sport I love with a great group of people.”

This case is not the only time the AFL has faced difficult decisions involving transgender players.

Back in 2017, the AFL blocked transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey from entering the AFLW draft after a five-person subcommittee deemed her strength, stamina and physique held an unreasonable physical advantage over opponents.

Mouncey, who stood 190cm and weighed 100kg, had played eight matches and kicked 17 goals for Ainslie in the Canberra Women’s League before being deemed ineligible to enter the draft.

That ruling applied only to the 2017 draft and the following AFLW season.

Mouncey was, however, cleared to continue to play for Ainslie in the local footy competition.

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