A 17-year-old girl is appealing against a football ban she received after questioning whether a bearded transgender opponent was a man during a match.
The Free Speech Union – which is also assisting Allison Pearson – has stepped in to support her case, appointing leading barrister John Jolliffe to challenge the verdict.
The teenager, who is believed to be on the autism assessment pathway, was found guilty by a national serious case panel last month.
The case has sparked protests, including a demonstration outside Wembley Stadium ahead of England’s Nations League victory against Republic of Ireland.
A 17-year-old girl is appealing against a football ban she received after questioning whether a bearded transgender opponent was a man during a matchGetty
The girl’s identity remains protected due to her age.
She received a two-match suspension, with an additional four matches suspended for a year.
During the hearing last month, the teenager wept as she was questioned about her comments.
She had no legal representation when found guilty and did not receive written reasons for her punishment until three days before the ban began.
The panel’s verdict was based on her own evidence, which included that she had sought guidance from the referee over the eligibility of a trans opponent.
She had denied that her actions constituted transphobia, and the referee had not noticed anything deemed discriminatory.
The Free Speech Union’s co-founder Toby Young approached the family with an offer of legal support.
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The appointed barrister, John Jolliffe, is a member of the Attorney General’s A panel of counsel and works part-time as a deputy judge.
Young called the ban “a grotesque injustice” and criticised FA rules allowing those born male to play in women’s football.
“Female players in single-sex football leagues should not be forced to compete against men, given how much stronger, faster and physically aggressive male players are, on average,” Young said.
The FSU is also supporting similar cases, including that of a Newcastle United fan banned for gender-critical comments.
The group has also helped journalist Pearson after police visited her home over a complaint about a year-old deleted post on social media.
Earlier this evening, Essex Police dropped its investigation into Pearson over an alleged hate-related post.
Discussing the latest FA decision to ban the teenager, a spokesperson said: “Considering the ongoing public discussion which has included some inaccurate information, it is important to note that the sanction was for two matches only, with an additional four matches suspended.”
Allison Pearson was visited by police officers at her home on Remembrance Sunday regarding an investigation into a social media post from November 2023GB News
The FA emphasised the complexity of the case, noting that not all facts are in the public domain.
“If the details of the case had been limited to those currently in the public domain, it is highly likely that no sanction would have been issued at all,” the spokesperson added.
The FA stated they could not publish more details due to the age of one participant.
Former FA chairman Lord Triesman condemned the ban in the House of Lords, stating he “doesn’t intend to let it rest.”
A second protest is planned before England Women’s friendly against Switzerland at Bramall Lane next month.
The girl’s mother told Telegraph Sport they are appealing to clear her daughter’s name and remove the threat of further action from her record.
