Andrew Bogut opposes transgender player joining Australia women's league / News - Basketnews.com

A transgender player is set to join the NBL1 South women's league, and Andrew Bogut is against it. The league will conduct tests and review practice footage to determine whether the athlete can join the competition.

Credit: Jenny Evans/Getty Images Credit Jenny Evans/Getty Images

A transgender player has filed an application to join Australia's NBL1 South women's league. Former NBA player Andrew Bogut came out strong against it.

"Word is NBL1 South Women will have a biological Male playing this upcoming season. Are you ok with sacrificing the sanctity of Female Sport in the name of “inclusion”?#GirlDads where are you? The hashtag is trendy until action is needed," he tweeted on Monday.

While numerous people disagreed with the take, several notable athletes, including current NBL player Anthony Drmic and former NBL player Matt Shanahan supported Bogut.

NBL1 South women’s league is a second-tier tournament in Australia, one grade below the WNBL.

Australian Basketball Federation has released a statement about the matter. "Basketball Australia (BA) prides itself on being a sport for all, ensuring all participants experience a welcoming, fair, and inclusive environment," the release reads.

The player is expected to join the Kilsyth Cobras. The team's first match is scheduled for April 1st.

However, there is one significant hurdle the new Cobras athlete will have to jump over.

According to The Herald Sun, a panel of medical experts and basketball executives will meet on Thursday to make a call on whether the player should be allowed to compete. They will evaluate "physicality and strength", the news outlet reports.

The panel will review the tests that have been carried out, including a testosterone count, as well as practice footage. With the preseason games starting this upcoming weekend, the window to make a decision is relatively small.

Keeping that in mind, The Herald Sun notes that the panel could ask the player to undergo additional testing to determine the eligibility to compete in the league.

The league did not respond to the Australian outlet. Instead, a statement was issued.

"Basketball Victoria, in collaboration with Basketball Australia, have been working through the final stages of eligibility of the athlete for the 2023 season,’" it reads. "Currently, a decision is yet to be made."

Basketball Victoria and Basketball Australia released new guidelines this February that included the possibility of transgender athletes competing in the same tournaments as cisgender athletes.

"Basketball Victoria recognises that the inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse people within sport can be complex and emotive for many people," they say.

Bogut recently made rounds on social media when he complained about gender identity options when registering his 6-year-old son for football practices.

Support BasketNews so we could make even better content.