I was saddened to see that your reporter did not put over a clear understanding of why World Rugby has banned male-bodied people in women’s rugby at international level.
I agree all sport should be inclusive. Indeed, transwomen are still free to play against women at local and national level. It is up to the individual club to decide what is safe play, and organise their games accordingly.
However, inclusion in sport does not mean we shouldn’t have categories to ensure fairness. Categories exist so a variety of people can access sport, not just the biggest and strongest.
World Rugby reviewed the evidence and concluded that male-bodied players were 25%-50% stronger, 40% heavier and 15% faster than female-bodied players. As a result women were at a “significant risk of injury” in mixed-sexed games. This took into account any suppression of testosterone production in transwomen.
I hope the Aberdeen Taexali club see how unfair such differences would be and welcome women as players who should be included in world rugby and treated fairly.
Doreen Wallace
Poseidon is no fighter
I read with interest your piece in the EE of the maritime reconnaissance Poseidon aircraft landing on the newly-resurfaced runway at RAF Lossiemouth, and particularly the line “The fighter plane, named the City of Elgin…”
These Poseidon aircraft are militarised versions of the commercial Boeing 737-800 (just as Ryanair use), and it would be a stretch of the imagination to ever class them as “fighters”, but it’s the name given to the aircraft that surprises me. When did Elgin become a city?
Ian Craig, Aberdeen.
Guinea pigs
The vaccine should be tested on the politicians before the public. They are the ones pushing the public to taking unsafe vaccines that they won’t know the effects of fully for at least 20 years.
K Wallace.
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