The Australian Football League (AFL) is allowing a 6′-3″, 200-pound man pretending to be a woman to play in women’s competitions, despite safety concerns over his physical advantage.
Anthony “Freya” Golding, who previously played in the senior men’s division, now plays for the Westminster Old Scholars in the Adelaide Footy League for women. His place on the women’s team drew scrutiny after three different clubs with the league submitted formal complaints and accused him of placing female players at risk. The clubs also said the AFL had a “duty of care” to block him from playing on women’s teams, Reduxx reported Monday.
“Concerns were in part motivated by viral footage circulated earlier this year showing Golding casually knocking a woman to the ground during a game,” according to the report.
The AFL’s “Gender Diversity Policy Committee” subsequently investigated his participation before ultimately concluding he is still allowed to play on women’s teams.
In a confidential email seen by Nine News, the committee said it decided against banning Golding from women’s competitions. The committee noted it was “not satisfied that the Player’s participation in the Competition gives rise to unacceptable safety risks.”
Adelaide Footy League chief executive John Kernaham slammed the decision and pointed out the league’s admission that Golding’s participation still poses safety risks to female athletes.
“We to this day maintain that it is a safety risk,” Kernahan told Nine News. “This particular player is 6’2″ or 6’3″, 92kg. I appreciate the notion that there might be other naturally born women that are 6’3″ and 92kg. But they are few and far between.”
The AFL reportedly made its decision under its “Gender Diversity Policy” framework, which allows players to participate on teams that match their self-proclaimed “gender identity.” The policy also states that players cannot be banned from women’s teams “solely” because they may have a physical advantage over women, according to the report.
Golding celebrated the AFL’s decision while speaking to Nine News and denied having a physical advantage over his female opponents.
“I’m not the biggest and tallest player getting around and by no means am I a dominant player,” Golding said. “I’ve had some good moments, but it’s rare I get in the best players. I just want to play the sport I love with a great group of people and I’ve been so lucky to do that this year.”
The AFL’s decision comes after a number of setbacks in Australia as advocates work to protect women’s sports and spaces.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.