The Australian migrated player Danielle McGahey became the first transgender woman to represent Canada on an international level as she participated in a Women’s T20I game. Due to her exceptional skills, Danielle McGahey was recently named in the Canadian squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, Bangladesh.
Danielle McGahey shifted from Australia to Canada in 2020 and got her gender changed to a woman and opined about the biggest setback that she might face while playing international cricket. According to Danielle, appearing for blood tests every month can be a little hectic considering she will have to travel a lot.
“Blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge” – Danielle McGahey
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72597094/DanielleMcGahey.0.jpg)
“I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do. A lot of work with my doctor sending my medical information through to the ICC… they have a dedicated medical officer who looks over all of the information provided, and determines whether or not I have provided enough for an expert panel to make a decision,” said Danielle McGahey.
“The need to do blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge because when you are playing cricket you are travelling a lot. It’s very personal in terms of the information you are giving over – all your medical information, history of puberty, any surgeries. There’s a lot in it. But the protocols are there and it has been used as intended,” added Danielle McGahey.
Thankfully there were no social media back then”, Virat Kohli on ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
The ICC issued regulations for transgender women to play international cricket which expected the transgender players to be available every month for blood tests for the determination of testosterone levels.
‘A trans women wishing to play women’s international cricket must demonstrate the concentration of testosterone in her serum to be less than 5 nmol/L1 continuously for a period of at least 12 months, and that she is ready, willing and able to continue to keep it below that level for so long as she continues to compete’. Provide a written and signed declaration, in a form of satisfactory to the designated medical officer, that her gender identity is female’, read the ICC regulations.
