Transgender padel player Bertie Jenner has urged the Lawn Tennis Association to “actually make a decision” on its policy regarding transgender competitors following controversy at last weekend’s Grade One tournament at Rocks Lane.
Jenner’s entry into the women’s draw in Chiswick led to complaints from opponents and some players’ parents – including Russell Quirk, father of 14-year-old Rosie Quirk, whom Jenner and her playing partner Elizabeth Rozin beat on a third-set tie-break in the quarter-finals.
Quirk Snr is an occasional presenter on right-wing news station Talk TV and aired the issue on air just hours after his daughter’s defeat to Jenner, calling it “cheating”.
In a lengthy Instagram story posted on Sunday morning, Jenner expressed sympathy with opponents who have concerns about the perceived competitive disadvantage of playing against players, such as herself, who were assigned with male gender at birth but are now (as in Jenner’s case) legally recognised, or identify as, female.
Jenner laid the blame with the LTA and its transgender policy, first drawn up in 2019, which states that players should be accepted ‘in the gender they represent.’ This policy has been “under review” for well over a year, having come under scrutiny when Jenner last entered an LTA Grade One padel tournament at Stratford Padel Club in December 2022.
Jenner said on Sunday morning: “If there’s anger at me, I’m sorry you feel that way and I don’t want that to be the case. But the reality is the anger should be pointed at the Lawn Tennis Association. It is an archaic institution in how they do things. They take so long to change any policies or do anything.
“The whole point of this is about trying to get the LTA to actually make a decision, which they haven’t done for years on end now. If there’s anger and you want to complain, please complain through the right channels to the LTA.”
Jenner, who is a qualified tennis and padel coach, said she tried to enter the men’s draw of a recent LTA Grade One padel competition with her brother but was told she couldn’t as she is legally registered as a woman.
She added: “The reality is, I don’t care which side I play in. If I can play in the women’s, great, but I want everyone to be happy with that. If I can play in the men’s, fine, I can live with that and get on with that. But it’s about having clarity and having a decision.”
Many national and international governing bodies in other sports have updated their policies on transgender athletes in recent years. Athletics, swimming and rugby union banned transgender women from competing in female categories, rowing has ruled that only rowers who transitioned to another gender before puberty are eligible to compete as women. Last May, British Cycling also banned transgender athletes from female competitions, placing them in a new ‘Open’ category alongside men.
When contacted by The Padel Paper, Jenner said: “There are incredibly few studies that actually relate to trans athletes, so I urge governing bodies to commission studies so we can actually say we’re following the science rather than moral outrage.”
In a statement to The Padel Paper, the LTA said: “Our policy review in this area is still ongoing. Until this is concluded all competitions are run under our existing policy.”
Jenner and Rozin eventually claimed a third place finish at Rocks Lane. They lost narrowly to top seeds Sarah Lochrie and Kerry White in the semi-finals before beating third seeds Angela Wood and Sophie Cousins in the 3rd/4th place play-off.
The women’s title was won by second seeds Eloise Tait and Hannah Lehfeldt, who beat GB Seniors duo Sarah Lochrie and Kerry White 6-3, 6-2 to record their first ever Grade One title. Ethan Bardo also won his first Grade One trophy. Teaming up with Spain’s Martin Pineiro, the pair recorded a 6-4 6-4 win over Sam MacNeil and Rafa Vega in the men’s final.
are these people blinded by trans ideology? In what world is it fair to pit a 14 year old girl against a great hulking 39 year old man in any sport?
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