An angry Reanne Evans lambasted a lack of communication from the WPBSA after a new ruling banning transgender snooker players was implemented.
After a few controversial incidents across cue sports in recent years, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association updated their Eligibility Policy and Rules for Open and Women’s Tournaments.
The updated ruling states that “in women’s tournaments there is an eligibility requirement based on biological sex” – a stipulation that came into effect on March 12 this year.
The decision comes a year on from a Supreme Court ruling concerning the legal definition of a person’s sex.
But Evans, a 12-time women’s world champion, took to social media on Friday to heavily criticise the WPBSA and World Women’s Snooker for their apparent lack of communication on the matter.
Despite many players having been vocal in the past in an effort to receive clarity on the controversial topic, it seems as though no direct line of communication has been made from the governing body to its members.
“So women snooker players (of all levels) and their teams have been asking if a decision has been made with no reply,” Evans wrote on X.
“Players have quit/stopped entering events because of no ruling. I was sent this tonight, and no one knew about it. Why no announcement/email to let players know?”
One such notable player who has been absent from the women’s circuit in recent times is Maria Catalano, the cousin of seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Catalano, a former women’s world number one and a five-time World Women’s Championship runner-up, quit the sport soon after transgender player Jamie Hunter won the US Women’s Open and the Australian Women’s Open in 2022.
Indeed, there have been several incidents across the last few seasons in cue sports with pool player Lynne Pinches refusing to play transgender opponent Harriet Haynes in the Champion of Champions final of 2023.
Despite Evans claiming that no communication has been made, there is in fact an article on the WPBSA website dated March 26 that outlines the changes to its policy, but nothing appears on the WWS site.
“Following on from the Supreme Court Ruling in April 2025 and the subsequent case of Harriet Haynes and the English Blackball Federation in August 2025, the WPBSA has conducted a thorough review of its Trans and Gender Diverse Policy,” the statement said.
“As part of this review the WPBSA has taken extensive legal advice. Our position has always been that the policy would be subject to immediate review should there be future ratified research findings or changes in guidance from appropriate sources.”
“These cases and the studies relied upon as evidence have changed the landscape leading to the review.
“As a result of the findings from the review the WPBSA has today published its Eligibility Policy and Rules for Open and Women’s tournaments.
“The main change from the previous policy is that the WPBSA considers snooker to be a ‘gender-affected activity’ for the purposes of Section 195 The Equality Act 2010 and that only biological female players may compete in women’s tournaments governed by the WPBSA.
The WPBSA is an inclusive organisation and all players – irrespective of their biological sex, legal sex and/or gender identity – may compete in open tournaments.”
The last women’s event this season is the World Women’s Snooker Championship, which will take place from May 12 to 19 in China.
Evans has already suggested that she might not even participate in this year’s flagship event as it coincides with the inaugural Global 900 Championship in Reading, an invitation event that she also has a place in.
Featured image credit: WST
I find players refusing to face transgender women in a non-athletic sport like snooker very daft. It’s a genuine debate in a sport like tennis but not in snooker and darts.
Jamie Hunter seems to have been a absent long before this new ruling was introduced.
If you think snooker is a non athletic sport try playing 35 frames not being sexist there are good women players out there Leanne being one of them she may beat a man over 9 frames but can’t see women taking on *35 frame final even top players find it exhausting
I remember when an Australian transgender (man to woman) won an Olympic weightlifting bronze medal. I truly felt that the women were at a disadvantage because it is practically impossible to keep ahead of testosterone levels all the time. While Jay and Reanne’s points are valid, I think the WBPSA are simply trying to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling and if, and that is a big if, one day there is a strong argument put forward to the Olympic board that snooker should be included, the WPBSA board is aligned with their values and this was the prudent thing to do. For those up in arms, I can see once the countries and medical services available catch up with the demand, there will be enough contestants to accommodate both original sex transgenders (I am not sure if there is a word for that).
Correction…Actually, the transgender Australian bombed at the Olympics but won a silver at the World Championships.
Evans is a dumb , stupid bitch.
Well, that’s a well balanced argument there from Greg!! If you feel that to be true then please give your justification – not just blatant abuse and bullying. I await your considered reply (but I won’t hold my breath!)
Men should compete against men, Women against Women, unless it is mixed doubles, I’m not saying exclude transgender, men or Women but in the interest of fairness why not have their own categories. Or have open categories, Women can and have played on the main tour if they qualify. We need to stop being politically correct and respect Women’s right that the Suffergets fought for. We have fought for Women’s rights for over 100 years, in recent times we are going backwards all in the name of political correctness and inclusion x
Could get a bit confusing in the mixed doubles ….