The German Football Association (DFB) lets transgender, intersex and non-binary people decide for themselves whether they play in a women’s or a men’s team.
The new regulation will apply to the amateur and youth sectors as well as to futsal from the coming season. This was announced by the DFB on Thursday (06/23/2022). People with the civil status entry “various” or “unspecified” and footballers who have had their gender reassigned can then choose between the two entitlements to play. This also applies to transgender footballers, “who can now change at a self-determined time or initially stay in the team in which they have previously played”.
As long as the sporting activity while taking medication does not impair the health of the persons concerned, the persons can take part in the game, “why the new regulation excludes doping relevance”.
He very much welcomes the regulation of the DFB, said the queer commissioner of the federal government, Sven Lehmann from the Greens. “With this, the DFB is underscoring its efforts to ensure the acceptance and participation of LGBTIQ people in football. With the new regulation, football can prove that it is a role model. Everyone should be able to play football without discrimination.”
The Bundesverband Trans praised: “This is a decision that goes in the right direction. Nobody has ever thought of people with the civil status ‘diverse’ or ‘unspecified’. You think far enough, that’s an informed matter. ”
confidants for support
Representatives of the state and regional associations should support the affected footballers, “to keep access low-threshold”as the DFB wrote.
“Football stands for diversity, and the DFB is also committed to this”said Thomas Hitzlsperger, DFB ambassador for diversity: “By regulating gaming law, we are creating further important prerequisites to enable players of different gender identities to play.”
The regulation was included for amateur football in the DFB game regulations as well as in the DFB youth regulations and the DFB futsal regulations. So far, the gender entered in the personal documents “masculine” or “Female” decisive for the granting of the right to play. A separate regulation for entries that have been possible since 2018 “various” or “unspecified” there was not.
Competitive integrity “not at risk”
The Berlin Football Association had already introduced corresponding rules in 2019. Experience has shown that competitive integrity “not endangered” will, according to the DFB.
Sabine Mammitzsch, the DFB vice president for women’s and girls’ football, added in the DFB statement: “The state and regional associations, but also those responsible at the grass roots level, have been signaling for a long time that there are uncertainties as to how trans*, inter* and non-binary players should be dealt with in practice. Therefore, they very much welcome the introduction of a national, overarching regulation on gaming law.”
Changes in several sports
There have been changes to transgender rules or declarations of intent in several sports in recent weeks, including swimming, cycling and rugby. When asked by the sports show, the world football association FIFA also announced that it would deal with the topic: “FIFA is currently reviewing its gender-specific admission regulations in consultation with expert interest groups.”
Thomas Bach, as President of the International Olympic Committee, said months ago that there would be no uniform regulation for the sport. At the meeting of its Executive Committee on Friday (June 24th, 2022), the IOC could address the new developments in the various sports. However, the topic is not explicitly on the agenda.