In a move that’s shaking the table in cue sports, the Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) has officially banned transgender women from competing in its female category—making it the first UK sports body to react to last week’s landmark Supreme Court ruling on sex and gender in sport.
The decision follows growing tension and legal disputes within the sport, especially after trans player Harriet Haynes took legal action against the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF) over a similar policy change. Now, the UPG has echoed that stance, citing “clarity” brought about by the court’s verdict.
“Eight-ball pool is a gender-affected sport,” the UPG stated, referencing a new expert report that concluded biological differences in cue sports give male players a competitive edge, even post-transition.
This move comes in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 should refer strictly to biological women and biological sex—a judgment that is already influencing policy shifts across UK sporting bodies.
UPG says its new stance isn’t just legal compliance—it’s about “protecting the integrity of the women’s series,” which it claims has existed in a legal grey zone for too long.
“We’ve welcomed this clarity,” said UPG, adding that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has also confirmed it will pursue any sporting organisations that fail to align with the updated legal position.
While the female division will now be exclusive to biological women, UPG emphasized that its Open Category remains inclusive, allowing everyone—regardless of gender identity—to compete.
Earlier this month, Haynes and fellow trans player Lucy Smith made headlines after facing off in a UPG tournament final—an event that intensified public scrutiny and spurred debate over fairness and inclusion in the sport.
The impact of the ruling may go far beyond pool.
The London Marathon has stated it’s reviewing its own policies, pending guidance from the EHRC and Sport England. Currently, while recreational runners can self-select their gender, elite and competitive female categories are only open to biological women.
As sporting bodies scramble to align with the court’s interpretation of gender law, one thing is certain: the conversation around inclusion, fairness, and identity in sports is far from over.
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