Cricket body adopts gender recognition policy

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Cricket body adopts gender recognition policy

London, July 8 (IANS) Male players who have undergone sex change surgery and are keen to play women's cricket will be allowed to do so, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced here.

The decision was taken by the world body's chief executive's committee (CEC) during the annual ICC meeting.

'The CEC also adopted the ICC Gender Recognition Policy, thus enabling cricketers who have undergone gender reassignment surgery to play women's cricket at international level, provided they meet the required criteria,' the ICC announced in a statement.

The adoption of such a policy follows the ICC's integration with the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) in 2005. It also brings it in line with other international sporting organisations, including the International Olympic Committee and the International Association of Athletics Federations.

In another decision, Myanmar was admitted as the ICC's 97th member. Myanmar was admitted as an affiliate member, or the third rung of the three-tier membership.

Now, the ICC has 10 full members who play Test cricket, 32 associate members, or the second rung countries, and 55 affiliate members.

The ICC also adopted its new strategic plan document, the organisation's second such plan, which follows from the previous one that ran from 2001 to 2005.

'The new Strategic Plan is an excellent document which charts the course of the ICC through to 2010. It has been put together following an extensive consultation process between an ICC project team, our members and stakeholders,' said the new ICC President Percy Sonn, who took over from Pakistan's Ehsan Mani.

'It is the organisation's roadmap for the next five years, years that should be great for cricket. The requirement now is for our members and stakeholders to work closely with ICC's management so that the outcomes projected in the Strategic Plan are achieved as soon as possible,' said Sonn, a former president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa.

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Cricket body adopts gender recognition policy