Another Domino Falls: Table Tennis England Blocks Male Athletes From Women's Division

As sporting bodies keep coming to their senses, Table Tennis England is the latest domino to fall.

The governing body announced that beginning with the 2026/27 season in August, trans-identifying males "will only be eligible to play in the category of their biological sex." The updated rules follow the recent Supreme Court judgment clarifying that "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act refer strictly to biological sex.

Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters, told The Telegraph it's "great to see Table Tennis England restoring common sense and fairness for women." She added that "women and girls who have signed up for women's matches, even if amateur or casual, should not find themselves facing a male opponent."

Olympic silver medalist Sharron Davies backed the move but questioned why implementation isn't immediate.

"So it's unlawful to have men in women's competition," she wrote on X. "It was always unlawful and still women have to wait till next August for table tennis (or any other sport breaking the law) to abide by the law?!"

A Global Shift Is Happening

Table tennis joins a long and growing list of sports tightening eligibility rules in the UK to protect the female category. Pool, tennis, cricket and netball have all altered their policies this year, and the English FA recently barred males from the women's game after "acting on legal advice."

This comes as international governing bodies across sports continue to adopt sex-based policies. World Athletics, World Aquatics, World Boxing and cycling's UCI have all enacted female-only categories. Even the International Olympic Committee is reportedly preparing to exclude male athletes and DSD athletes from women's events after reviewing evidence of male performance advantage.

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The catalyst in England was the Supreme Court decision, which senior minister Pat McFadden said "will be implemented," though he declined to give a date. He emphasized the importance of accuracy in government guidance. 

"This is about getting it right," he warned, otherwise organizations could face "further legal jeopardy."

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Still, the shift is clear. As more sports adopt common-sense eligibility rules, the world is finally aligning with the idea that women's sports are for women only.

Table Tennis England’s updated rule is in the final consultation stage and will apply to all competitions regulated by the governing body, though "amateur or casual matches" outside its jurisdiction will not be affected.