Women's pool final contested by two transgender players

The Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series final in Wigan faced protests after being contested by two transgender players, Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith. Both defeated four female-born players to reach the final.

Broadcaster Piers Morgan criticised the event as “preposterous”, while former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies called it “grossly wrong”. Inside the venue, protesters shouted, “He’s a man”, and held banners saying, “Save women’s sport”.

Men generally have an advantage in women's sport; in the context of pool, this looks like increased body strength and reach, enabling them to make some more difficult shots.

Lynne Pinches, who forfeited the Women’s Champion of Champions final against Haynes in 2023, commented:

“This is a category advantage. Being biologically male and playing against females gives you a clear category advantage.

“Every time I play a transgender player, I think about it before, during and after the match, about how unfair it is and how this is a level I can’t reach.

“I watch some of the shots they play, and I think females don’t play these shots down the rails like this and they don’t clear up like this. They [trans women] have a longer reach and a lot of them are taller than us.

“Women have been silenced because of fear of being transphobic. That is why people don’t speak out about this subject. It’s not a gender issue. This is a fairness issue.”

The English Pool Association and World Eightball Pool Federation currently allow unrestricted transgender participation but are reviewing their by-laws.

But in December 2023, lawyers representing Pinches and three others accused governing bodies of “direct sex discrimination” in a formal complaint. Legal action is ongoing.