England ladies angling team in chaos as half of squad quit in protest over trans competitor
11 June 2023, 22:08
Half of England's ladies angling team has quit - in protest at the inclusion of a transgender woman in the squad for a competition.
Three anglers on the six-member team for the Home Nations shore fishing championships have withdrawn after Becky Lee Birtwhistle Hodges was selected for the competition squad.
Birtwhistle Hodges has faced numerous players opposing her competing since her debut in 2018 - before medically transitioning a year later.
She qualified by virtue of being the only angler to catch a fish in difficult conditions during an earlier tournament administered by The Angling Trust.
Former team captain Heather, 66, told The Mail on Sunday: Our decision to pull out of this year's Home Nations was difficult – especially as we should be defending our gold medal we won last year.
I've been an international angler for 22 years. The sheer effort and hard work, making so many sacrifices for the love of my sport, and it comes to this.'
On biological males upper body strength advantage, Heather added: "This is such an advantage, with the ability to cast longer distances than any woman.
"They have the capability of doing this while using more powerful equipment, such as stiffer and more powerful rods.
"Not to mention the extra strength she has wading in and out of the surf or walking through mud and rocks, and the stamina to keep this going for four or five hours.
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"I have no grudge personally. This is an advantage to our team, but we find it totally unfair to other nations. Transgender competitors are ruining our sport, and the Angling Trust will not listen to our views, so this is why myself and the team decided to pull out."
Jamie Cook, chief executive of the Angling Trust, said: "As the national governing body for angling, the question we are required to address by Sport England is whether the sport of angling is gender impacted to an extent where fairness overrides inclusion or safety.
"The view of the Angling Trust board is that as a non-contact sport, the safety concern is not deemed significant within the sport of angling.'
