A transgender athlete has applied to join an Australian women’s basketball league.
Basketball Victoria is set to approve an application for the player to compete in the NBL1 South women’s competition.
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Basketball Victoria confirmed the news as they continue to work through the eligibility requirements ahead of the 2023 season.
While no official confirmation was released by the governing body, News Corp’s Matt Logue confirmed the team looking to play a transgender athlete is Kilysth Cobras.
Former NBA star Andrew Bogut unleashed with several tweets on Monday afternoon, calling on the fathers of girls to unite and bring about action.
“Word is @NBL1 South Women will have a biological Male playing this upcoming season,” Bogut tweeted.
“Are you ok with sacrificing the sanctity of Female Sport in the name of “inclusion”? #GirlDads where are you?
“The hashtag is trendy until action is needed.”
Bogut followed that up by replying to another user who called him out for being “wildly irresponsible”.
Bogut’s tweet unleashed a flurry of responses with many users furious over his stance while others agreed with what he had to say.
Current NBL player Anthony Drmic responded to Bogut’s tweet, describing the move to allow a transgender athlete into the NBL1 competition as “wild”.
Former NBL player Matt Shanahan said the move would only open a “massive can of worms” if given the tick of approval.
“I’m a girl dad who has a 16-year-old daughter in an NBL 1 South squad who has been asked if she would be comfortable with this,” said Shanahan, who is currently coaching the Victorian Metro Under 18s side,
“Opening a massive can of worms if this is allowed.”
Current NBL1 player Chloe Bibby shut down arguments over the debate, insisting she has nothing but respect for the individual.
“As someone who plays in the NBL1, I don’t care what they identify as or their pronouns, she/her, they/them, he/him because regardless I’m still gone try beat their ass on court,” Bibby tweeted.
“They want to play ball & I have nothing but the upmost respect for this person. Go kill it queen.”
It’s not the first time Bogut has sparked debate online this month after he took aim at Football Australia over one detail in his son’s soccer registration.
Bogut took to Twitter to air his disappointment in the national sporting body for having gender inclusive options in a drop-down box on his six-year-old rego form.
The list included options for male, female, non-binary or gender fluid players to select, and a fourth for those whose “gender identity not sufficiently represented”.
Bogut shared a picture of the list to his followers, directly calling out Football Australia.
The tweet split the internet, with plenty agreeing with his message and plenty poking fun at the 2015 NBA champion for raging against such a minor detail.
Many noted the option was probably there for the whole club, not for junior players. Many didn’t understand the outrage over such a minor detail, saying Bogut should have just ticked the box that applied to his son and move on.
Football Australia said it was proud of the diversity of its sport, and the registration form reflects that.