Female snooker players have taken the first step towards launching a historic lawsuit over rules that force them to play against transgender women.
Telegraph Sport can reveal that lawyers acting on behalf of the four complainants have submitted a “pre-claim letter” to the World Eight-Ball Billiards Federation and Ultimate Billiards Group, accusing the governing bodies of subjecting those born female to “direct gender discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex”. ”.
The foursome, which could include about 30 more women, includes Lynne Pinches, who lost the national championship final in November where her opponent was a transgender woman.
The news comes days after Telegraph Sport revealed that Lia Thomas, the swimmer at the center of one of sport’s biggest transgender storms, had lodged a confidential legal challenge against a ban on her competing in elite women’s races, including the Olympics.
Tackling the pool’s corresponding lack of restrictions could be the first challenge in the UK to test the women-only sport provisions in the Equality Act 2010; Complainants are objecting to an October reversal on new rules excluding trans women from the female category.
The following month, Pinches was applauded by the crowd when she picked up her cue and refused to play as the Women’s Champions Championship final got underway. His opponent, Harriet Haynes, then received the cup by default.
Pinches, sister of veteran snooker player Barry Pinches, said: “I have excluded myself and turned down the opportunity to take up a professional place on the Ultimate Pool Tour because my options are either to replay and accept the match or not play at all… Either option is for the benefit of my mental health “It’s not good, but I regret withdrawing from the competition because I will miss playing and being part of the tour.”
Pinches’ concession was followed a week later by Jo Hobday, who joined her challenge alongside Frankie Rogers and Holly Cann.
The demand letter was funded through a campaign on CrowdJustice.com, the world’s crowdfunding platform for legal action, which has so far raised more than £20,000 of the £30,000 the group estimated to launch the Equality Act challenge.
Rogers said: “When it was announced on August 26 that entry into the women’s categories would be limited to female-born only, I was surprised at how happy I felt. Before that, if I wanted to play the sport I love, I had to accept male-born trans players into women’s tournaments. I played Harriet Haynes in the last 16 of the National Women’s Singles in November 2022.
“I lost 5-1. I remember thinking to myself as I walked towards the table where I had been playing all day and was fit, but I knew the competition was over for me. The U-turn in October left me so upset and infuriated that I felt our voices needed to be heard and listened to.”
Cann said: “Competitive advantage is one thing and it is well understood; That’s what makes winning both fair and rewarding, but you can’t compete with the category advantage a man has in all areas of sporting activity. I am not a man. I wasn’t born a man. I do not have inherent masculine advantages.
‘Obvious disadvantage’
The October reversal led to accusations that WEPF and UPG were bowing to legal threats from transgender players, and the letter of claim demanded that the bodies reinstate the ban they imposed in August.
Peter Daly of Doyle Clayton, who represented the plaintiffs, said: “The provisions of s.195 of the Equality Act 2010 are clear and exist to protect biological women from the obvious disadvantages they face in having to compete with men in sex-affected sports.
“Doyle Clayton looks forward to finding a solution on behalf of our customers that will enable them to compete fairly in their sports.”
Fiona McAnena, from campaign group Fair Play for Women, said: “Female snooker players should not be facing male opponents in the women’s competition and should not be going to court to get justice. They show great courage by standing up,” she said.
WEPF and UPG have been approached for comment.
Haynes told the BBC this month that he had been subjected to “vile” and “appalling” abuse online following his controversial Champion of Champions victory.
“The world governing body… investigated this and couldn’t find any evidence,” Haynes said. “They disagreed that men had an innate advantage over women [in cue sports].”
Olympic swimmer and women’s sports campaigner Sharron Davies has previously said snooker was another example of the sport not prioritizing safety and fairness before participation.
Athletics, swimming and cycling have all changed their transgender policies in the last 12 months, while rugby has both moved to protect the sport for those born female.