Judy Murray tells PM: hurry up and block biological men from women’s sport

Judy Murray has urged Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, to hurry up and fulfil his pledge to prevent biological men who change their gender from competing in women’s sports.

The tennis coach, and mother of double Wimbledon champion Sir Andy Murray, wants to see the Equality Act overhauled to make it clear that “sex” means biological sex.

‌This would make it possible to protect single-sex spaces such as toilets, changing rooms and rape centres. It would also ensure that sports clubs would not fall foul of the law for excluding a transgender person.

The Sunday Telegraph recently revealed that the Tories are preparing to include a pledge to rewrite the Act in the party’s general election manifesto later this year.

‌Responding to the story on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Murray said: “What are you waiting for? Do it now.”

‌Her position is backed by women’s rights activists, including Sex Matters.

The campaign group wrote: “Rishi Sunak, why wait? You can do this now with an amendment.”

‌Two years ago, the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant criticised the decision to let transgender woman Hailey Davidson play in a women’s US golf tournament and said biologically male golfers had a natural biological advantage.

‌She tweeted: “Not fair at all. Protect women’s sport. Listen to the facts, the scientists and the medics. This is wrong.”

Safety and fairness ‘most important’

Ms Murray also said last year that although tennis had to be inclusive, it must also be fair.

‌“I think we have to be very careful,” she told The Sunday Times. “Categories have been created in sport for a reason to create fair and safe competition.

‌“If there is clear, unfair physical advantage then it is going to be incredibly tough on women’s sport and women’s sport is in the best place it has ever been.”

The tennis coach added: “It is a hot topic and I think it is going to continue to be debated in a very big way as we come up to the Paris Olympics, but it will be up to individual governing bodies to determine how they want to go forward.

“For everyone to be able to play in a safe and fair way is most important to me.”

Liz Truss, the former prime minister, last week put forward a bill in the Commons which would have rewritten the Equality Act to make it clear that its references to sex mean biological sex and not the gender someone identifies with.

However, the move was effectively blocked by Labour MPs. Opposition members spent so long talking about a different Bill that there was no time left to debate her plans.

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