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Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Where ex-cricketer Anaya Bangar's research project stands amid wider debate on trans women in sports
Written by Shaarvi Magazine Anaya Bangar, a transgender woman and former professional cricketer, recently participated in a research project to evaluate how hormone therapy has impacted her athletic performance compared to cisgender women (whose gender identity is the same as the one assigned at birth). The study was conducted at the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport (UK) and aimed to provide data on the physiological effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on a transgender athlete. HRT can involve taking hormones such as estrogen or testosterone through pills or other means. Bangar, who transitioned in her early twenties, has been vocal about the need for evidence-based policies in sports to ensure fair inclusion of transgender athletes. The project aims to improve that understanding. What does the report say? On June 17, Bangar shared the findings on Instagram. Her athletic performance was tracked over eight weeks (January to March 2025) after having completed one year of HRT. Parameters such as body mass, strength, endurance, and injury risks were measured at regular intervals and compared to baseline data from cisgender female athletes. The study also analysed various biochemical markers and power tests like muscle mass, stamina, and glucose and oxygen levels. A post shared by Anaya Bangar (@anayabangar) The results found her haemoglobin levels, glucose regulation, and power output to be within cisgender female range, while her endurance and muscle power declined under hormone therapy, proving HRT's effectiveness in aligning her physiology to cisgender female standards. Bangar has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to examine her report for future research and open discussions about the inclusion of trans women in women's cricket. What is the larger debate? Despite legal recognition of transgender people in recent years in many parts of the world, their access to a range of opportunities remains limited due to systemic barriers and longstanding binary categorisations of male and female. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in sports, which are largely divided based on sex. The differences in male and female biology and physiology, and their impact on improving athletic abilities, have driven calls for removing trans women from competing in women's categories. The debate, therefore, concerns preventing what are seen as unfair advantages, while making sports inclusive. What do the regulations say? Different countries and sporting bodies have adopted different guidelines. In the US, President Donald Trump's executive order banning trans women from women's sports has caused many educational institutions to restrict trans athletes, including a recent agreement between the University of Pennsylvania and the US government to prevent trans athletes from joining women's teams. In general, sporting organisations have tightened testosterone limits for transgender female athletes, stating it led to 'advantages' in power-based sports. Various incidents, like the controversy involving Olympic boxer Imane Khalif (who was not transgender but online misinformation made such claims at the time), or the restrictions for trans swimmer Lia Thomas, have all been cited as 'unfair biological advantages'. The BCCI currently follows the ICC guidelines on gender eligibility for athletes, according to which 'male-to-female participants who have undergone male puberty are not eligible to compete in the international women's game, irrespective of any surgical or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.' India lacks specific domestic laws or policies addressing transgender athletes in sports, leaving their participation subject to international sporting bodies' regulations. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, guarantees equality but does not outline sports-specific provisions. What has Bangar argued? Bangar has advocated for collecting data on the exact nature of these supposed 'biological advantages' — something yet to be covered by large-scale studies. In 2024, one study said that based on limited evidence, it was suggested that the physical performance of trans people who have undergone at least two years of HRT 'approaches that of cisgender controls' ('The Impact of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy on Physical Performance', The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism). That means trans men's physical abilities get closer to those of cis men, while trans women reach levels similar to cis women. However, it added that more data was needed. 'As trans people have been stigmatized for many decades, there is little research in the field and the evidence base is not definitive,' it said. In Bangar's case, too, more comprehensive research involving larger sample sizes would be required. The BCCI or ICC has not yet commented on her project. The writer is a student who is a summer intern at The Indian Express.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Exclusive: There has been no support from Indian cricket, says Anaya Bangar
Cricketer-social media influencer Anaya Bangar, (inset) formerly Aryan "As far as support from Indian cricket is concerned, there has been silence. No institution or player has come forward to ask, 'How are you doing? Do you need help navigating this? You played our game. Why did we leave you behind?' The assumption that all trans women have an inherent advantage in sport is scientifically outdated. I've been on medically supervised hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for over a year. My body falls well within the cisgender female athlete range according to the report from Manchester University. If transwomen meet scientifically agreed performance margins based on hormone levels, strength metrics, and transition timelines why should they be denied the right to compete?" It hasn't been an easy road for 25-year-old Anaya Bangar, daughter of ex-cricketer Sanjay Bangar . Formerly Aryan, Anaya was born a boy but always identified as a woman. Her gender transition journey including HRT (hormone replacement therapy), required much more than mental resilience and blocking of external noises that doubted if this is just a ploy for seeking attention. It meant giving up a sport that she plays and deeply cherishes – cricket. Not only in India but globally, there's resistance to inclusion of transwomen in women's sports on the grounds of biological differences affecting performance. However, Anaya is confident that these policies should change given the recent studies and tests she herself underwent that support her argument that trans women have no biological advantage over cisgender women. In a candid chat with BT, Anaya shared her journey. For the first time in August last year, you came out as a trans woman through a post on Instagram. Did you always feel like a woman trapped in a man's body? It all started when I was 8-9 years old. I would hide in my room and wear my mom's clothes. Whenever I looked in the mirror, I saw a girl. I wanted to be a girl. I kept this to myself until my 20's. It was suffocating. I was ashamed of myself for feeling the way I did. I feared how the world and my family would react. I kept doubting my thoughts and calling myself wrong for not aligning with my birth gender. I adapted my body language to make it seem boyish just so that I can fit in with the other boys. At the age of 21, I found the courage to finally own who I am. I opened about my identity to a few friends during lockdown because it gave me time to introspect. For a decade before that, not a single person knew what I was going through. It did affect my mental health. How accepting was your inner circle? I have made my peace with isolation. Support has been minimal. My parents paid for my HRT, and for that I'm grateful. But every other part of my transition from laser hair removal, cosmetic procedures, clothing, jewellery, media prep I've had to manage myself. Could be a case of habit but till date my parents refer to me as Aryan and not Anaya. As far as support from Indian cricket is concerned, there has been silence. No institution or player has come forward to ask, 'How are you doing? Do you need help navigating this?' After this report comes out, I am open to having discussions with BCCI , ICC and other institutions to have a fair and just discussion about this. There's no point waiting for support. I became one. For myself, and for every athlete who's waiting to be seen. So, it's a lone battle? The truth is I've been doing all this alone. I didn't inherit a system. I didn't inherit a team. I inherited silence and I've had to build a voice loud enough to survive it. My parents helped me with the basics; they paid for my hormone therapy. But the rest? The emotional cost, the financial cost, the daily cost of becoming a woman the world doesn't know how to hold. That's all from my savings since the time I have been playing age group Cricket. I've had to keep showing up with a smile when I wasn't sure if I could afford my next dose. I've had to explain myself in rooms that only ever saw me as a 'controversy.' No one from Indian cricket called to say, 'You played our game. Why did we leave you behind?' I don't want pity. I want a policy. I want a system where the next trans girl who wants to pick up a bat isn't told she's a threat but told she's welcome. I want my story to be the last one that had to be built on survival instead of support. Anaya Bangar, Location: Dadar SOCIAL; (inset) father Sanjay Bangar After you called out toxic masculinity in Indian cricket, you were labelled as an attention seeker. How do you deal with this backlash? Every time a woman, especially a transwoman, speaks openly about her experience, there's a section of people who try to dismiss it as 'attention seeking.' That's not criticism. That's deflection. If I had stayed quiet about being harassed or disrespected by people in power, I would've been praised for being 'disciplined.' But silence is what allows toxicity to thrive. I didn't share my truth for attention. I shared it for the people who'll think twice before doing something to some other girl which I had to go through. (Anaya shared how a cricketer sent her inappropriate pictures to the DM). And if my voice makes some people uncomfortable, maybe it's time they are asked why they were comfortable with the behaviour I exposed. There's a lot of debate around trans women having biological advantage in elite female sport, which is why it's unfair to cisgender women. Your thoughts? The assumption that all trans women have an inherent advantage in sport is scientifically outdated. I've been on medically supervised hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for over a year. My testosterone levels are 0.5 nmol/L, which is within and in some cases, below the cis female range. My muscle mass, power output, and recovery ability have reduced significantly, which aligns with what international studies (including the SIT01 report) have documented in transitioned athletes. My body falls well within the cisgender female athlete range according to the report from Manchester University. The research was done by Dr Blair Hamilton. Inclusion isn't about erasing fairness, it's about redefining it using data, not fear. That's why I advocate for sport-specific, case-by-case assessments not blanket bans. If transwomen meet scientifically agreed performance margins based on hormone levels, strength metrics, and transition timelines why should they be denied the right to compete? But higher Testosterone tends to be associated with better physical performance for athletes, doesn't it? Yes, testosterone contributes to physical development in puberty but when suppressed medically for 12+ months, its performance benefits decline rapidly. In my case, regular blood work shows a testosterone level of 0.5 nmol/L — and zero athletic advantage compared to cis female athletes. Any governing body that truly cares about fairness should evaluate outcomes, not assumptions. If I test within the cis female athletic margins, shouldn't I be given the same rights as any other woman? I've got scientific evidence to back whatever I'm saying. My conclusion is based on my medical examination with a reputed university. The ICC, ECB, FA ruling for trans women The International Cricket Council (ICC), global governing body of cricket in 2023 stated, 'Any player who has transitioned from male to female and has been through any form of male puberty will not be allowed to participate in women's international cricket, regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.' English football's governing body (FA) also made changes in their policy and said only those born biologically female will be permitted to play women's football at all levels. 'Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football in England, and this policy will be implemented from June 1, 2025.' This was following the UK Supreme Court's ruling on April 16 that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. On May 2, the English Cricket Board (ECB) followed suit. It said, 'With immediate effect, only those whose biological sex is female will be eligible to play in women's cricket and girls' cricket matches.'
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
ECB accused of ‘hypocrisy' after fans spot tiny detail on stumps during India vs England first Test
Several fans, including former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar's daughter, slammed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after spotting a tiny detail on the stumps during the India vs England first Test at Headingly. Anaya Bangar, who aims to represent India as a trans woman, posted a video on social media, saying the ECB has installed stumps featuring pride colors. She added that this comes weeks after the English board announced that transgender women have been banned from competing in all levels of women's cricket. Fans noticed a tiny detail on the stumps during India vs England Test(AP) Read More: Gautam Gambhir told to 'not to get in the head' of Rishabh Pant and let him go: 'Let the boy play' Other social media users slammed the ECB too. In a video posted on Instagram, Anaya Bangar asked: 'What is this performative allyship that ECB has going on?' 'On Day 2 of the India vs England Test Match, there were Pride flags on the stumps while at the same time: The UK Supreme Court rolled back trans women's rights from the Equality Act. 🚫 The ECB banned trans women from not just elite, but even professional cricket. So who is this inclusivity really for? You can't celebrate Pride while erasing trans women from the sport. This is not inclusion. It's performative allyship. And the hypocrisy is too loud to ignore,' Bangar added in the caption. 'Right in the middle of this India-England Test, the ECB has defiled stumps with those garish rainbow stripes and calls it 'Rainbow Laces' for Pride Month,' another person pointed out on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. Only last month, the ECB announced a change to its regulations regarding eligibility for transgender players in women's and girls' cricket following the recent Supreme Court ruling. Read More: ICC punishes Rishabh Pant for 'showing dissent' at umpire during India vs England Leeds Test - Here's what happened 'With immediate effect, only those whose biological sex is female will be eligible to play in women's cricket and girls' cricket matches. Transgender women and girls can continue playing in open and mixed cricket,' it stated in its press release. The board further added that it has aimed at 'ensuring that cricket remains as inclusive a sport as possible'. 'We will work with Recreational Cricket Boards to support people impacted by this change in our regulations.'
India.com
20-06-2025
- Health
- India.com
Anaya Bangar to seek ICC, BCCI backing for Transgender participation in cricket, says 'I am eligible for women's cricket'
Anaya Bangar. New Delhi: The daughter of a former India cricketer, Sanjay Bangar, Anaya Bangar has urged the ICC and the BCCI to show support to the transgender athletes. Once Aryan, now Anaya, posted an eight-page report of athlete testing on Instagram detailing her transition experience after a year of the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). On one of the videos posted on the platform, she shared that she was eligible to play women cricket and she talked of how she partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University in the process. The 23-year-old also revealed that Manchester Metropolitan University checked her muscle power, endurance, glucose as well as oxygen levels and compared their values to those of cisgender female athletes. All her parameters were within a normal range as per the reports compared to those of cisgender female athletes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anaya Bangar (@anayabangar) 'For the first time, I'm sharing the scientific report that documents my journey as a trans woman athlete. Over the past year, I've undergone structured physiological assessments after starting hormone therapy. This report captures the real, measurable impact of my transition not opinions, not assumptions, but data,' Anaya can be heard as saying in the video. 'I'm submitting this to the BCCI and ICC, with full transparency and hope. My only intention is to start a conversation based on facts not fear. To build space, not divide it. Whether you agree or not, thank you for witnessing,' she added. 'Science kehta hai main women's cricket ke liye eligible hoon. Ab sawaal yeh hai kya duniya tayyar hai sach sunne ke liye? (Science says I am eligible for women's cricket. Now, the question is whether the world ready to accept the truth?' Anaya captioned the video. Currently transgender cricketers have been denied the right to take part in women cricket. The ICC made this limitation at a board meeting, which was held after the end of the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Anaya had a hormonal replacement therapy and gender reaffirming surgery last year and he now resides in the United Kingdom.
NDTV
19-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
"I Am Eligible For Women's Cricket": Anaya Bangar To Approach ICC, BCCI For Inclusion Of Transgender Athletes
Anaya Bangar, child of former India batter Sanjay Bangar, has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to support transgender cricketers. Anaya, who was formerly named Aryan, shared an eight-page athlete testing report detailing her journey as an athlete, post Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Taking to Instagram, Anaya shared a video and revealed that she is eligible to take part in women's cricket. In the video, Anaya revealed that she collaborated with the Manchester Metropolitan University after completing a year of HRT. The 23-year-old added that the University conducted a test to collect data on her muscle power, endurance, glucose, and oxygen levels, comparing them with cisgender female athletes. As per the test reports, the parameters fell within cisgender female athlete norms. "For the first time, I'm sharing the scientific report that documents my journey as a trans woman athlete. Over the past year, I've undergone structured physiological assessments after starting hormone therapy. This report captures the real, measurable impact of my transition not opinions, not assumptions, but data," Anaya can be heard as saying in the video. "I'm submitting this to the BCCI and ICC, with full transparency and hope. My only intention is to start a conversation based on facts not fear. To build space, not divide it. Whether you agree or not, thank you for witnessing," she added. "Science kehta hai main women's cricket ke liye eligible hoon. Ab sawaal yeh hai kya duniya tayyar hai sach sunne ke liye? (Science says I am eligible for women's cricket. Now, the question is whether the world ready to accept the truth?" Anaya captioned the video. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anaya Bangar (@anayabangar) Currently, transgender cricketers are not eligible to take part in women's cricket. This ban was imposed during an ICC board meeting following the Cricket World Cup in 2023. Anaya underwent a hormonal replacement therapy and gender reaffirming surgery last year and lives in the United Kingdom currently.
