A joint statement between Pride In Touch and IGR Touch: Response to England Touch participation policy change

Published by Pride In Touch Wednesday September 30

Pride In Touch and IGR are disheartened, frustrated and deeply disappointed by the participation policy change published by England Touch, which ends eligibility for competitive Touch based on self-identified gender. This will restrict trans, non-binary and intersex players from accessing the full pathway available to others. The policy has been released for implementation with immediate effect.

As one of very few sports that offers an on-field mixed playing format, Touch has long had the capacity to lead on gender inclusion. The previous trans, non-binary and gender diverse participation policy, published in 2021 and developed in partnership with Pride In Touch, reflected that leadership.

The previous policy was developed through meaningful consultation with organisations including Pride Sports, Mermaids UK, Women’s Sports Alliance and Baseball Softball UK. It provided practical guidance to support inclusive participation across the game and was a key defining output of the newly established EDI working group at that time, developed through collaboration and care.

In July 2025, England Touch CEO Vince Mayne assured Pride In Touch that the organisation intended to convene a panel which “will be tasked with capturing the voices of all parties impacted by the Supreme Court ruling, collecting research evidence to support the process and conducting an assessment of risk, fairness and inclusion”. However, no such expert panel was appointed. Instead, England Touch stated that it “took legal guidance from other, larger NGBs and sports agencies”.

Without public communication, the previous inclusive policy was removed from the England Touch website in early 2026 and placed under review. When we became aware that England Touch was preparing to publish the recent policy update, we sought and were granted an opportunity to speak with the organisation. We strongly recommended that the England Touch board agree to a period of consultation which “should include a broad and representative mix of the Touch community, regardless of gender identity” and “ensuring those impacted have an opportunity to be heard”. That recommendation has not been followed, despite more than six months having passed.

We are not aware of any consultation having taken place with trans, non-binary or intersex participants, or with organisations with relevant expertise in LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport. This absence of engagement is compounded by wider governance concerns, including the dissolution of the England Touch EDI working group and non-appointment of a replacement EDI officer, the non-renewal of its partnership with Pride In Touch, and the organisation currently operating without a Head of Governance.

England Touch has stated that the new policy provides legal clarity while continuing to enable participation. However, in practice, it introduces restrictions that exclude players from parts of the sport on the basis of eligibility criteria determined by sex recorded at birth.

This marks a significant departure from the previous inclusive approach and from the values that have historically underpinned participation in Touch.

Beyond the process concerns, the policy itself raises a number of substantive questions. We recognise that the legal and regulatory landscape has changed significantly since the previous policy was introduced in 2021, including the Supreme Court judgment on the definition of sex under the Equality Act and the subsequent EHRC statutory Code of Practice, which came into force in August 2026.

The EHRC Code provides guidance on the application of sex-based participation rules in gender-affected sport, including that such rules should be applied on the basis of biological sex. However, the Code also states that policies should be supported by clear reasoning and an evidence base, taking account of factors including competitive advantage, safety, alternative arrangements that could enable participation, and the nature of the activity itself. No Touch-specific evidence or analysis underpinning England Touch’s application of this framework has been published alongside the policy.

There is also a lack of transparency around how this decision has been reached. No Equality Impact Assessment or equivalent analysis has been published. England Touch has not explained what evidence informed its determination that these restrictions are appropriate across competitive Touch, including its mixed format, nor what alternative arrangements were considered. This makes it difficult for participants and the wider Touch community to understand how the new approach was reached.

The policy also creates uncertainty for participants through a lack of clarity in its application. There is insufficient consideration of how it affects non-binary and intersex players, how it applies across youth and development pathways, and what safeguards will be put in place to protect the wellbeing and privacy of those impacted. The absence of supporting guidance on implementation, communication and safeguarding leaves clubs, volunteers and players without the tools needed to apply the policy consistently and safely.

Finally, the decision represents a clear shift away from the previous policy developed in partnership with stakeholders, without a transparent explanation of how or why the new approach was reached. That earlier policy enabled participation in line with gender identity, supported by practical guidance and a clear commitment to inclusion at all levels of the game.

Moving away from that model without meaningful consultation or publication of the evidence and analysis informing the decision risks undermining trust within the Touch community and sits uneasily with England Touch’s stated commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Pride In Touch and IGR remain committed to supporting an inclusive, evidence-based and consultative approach to participation in Touch. We would welcome the opportunity to work constructively with England Touch and the wider Touch community to ensure that the sport remains accessible, safe and enjoyable for all.

Pride In Touch / IGR