The teenage girl banned from football after asking a “bearded” transgender opponent “Are you a man?” is to appeal her punishment with the help of the Free Speech Union, reports the Telegraph. The report continues:
The Free Speech Union (FSU) has appointed leading barrister John Jolliffe to fight a guilty verdict imposed by a national serious case panel that has provoked growing outrage and a protest outside Wembley ahead of England’s Nations League victory against Republic of Ireland on Sunday.
The demonstration coincided with the first match of what was a six-game ban handed to the 17-year-old girl with suspected autism, who wept upon being grilled about her comments during a hearing last month.
She was found guilty on the basis of her own evidence to the panel, which had included that she had sought guidance from the referee over the eligibility of a trans opponent and had expressed concerns for her own safety.
That is despite her denying that doing so constituted transphobia and the referee also having not noticed anything he deemed to be discriminatory.
Four matches of the punishment have been suspended for a year and the girl’s mother told Telegraph Sport she was appealing in order to clear her name and remove the threat of further action from her record.
The family was approached with an offer of legal support by Toby Young, the social commentator and associate editor of The Spectator, who co-founded the FSU in February 2020.
The group have provided similar support in an ongoing case regarding a Newcastle United fan banned by her club last year for making gender-critical comments on social media.
It is also helping Telegraph columnist Pearson after police visited her home a week ago on Sunday over a complaint about a year-old deleted post on social media in the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
Young said the ban imposed on the teenage footballer and the Football Association rules allowing those born male to play in women’s football were “badly wrong”.
He added: “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.
“For a 17-year-old girl to be given a six-game ban just for asking whether a member of an opposing ‘ladies’ team is a man is a grotesque injustice and I hope it will be overturned on appeal.”
The girl had no legal representation when she was found guilty last month and did not receive the written reasons for her punishment until three days before her ban began.
Jolliffe, of Park Square Barristers, is a member of the Attorney General’s A panel of counsel, and works part-time as a deputy judge of the Upper Tribunal and of the Court of Protection. He appeared in the Infected Blood Inquiry for Government clients including Sir Malcolm Rifkind KC and Lord Forsyth. He is also instructed in the Covid-19 Inquiry.
Worth reading in full.
The FSU is providing similar support in an ongoing case involving Linzi Smith, a passionate Newcastle United supporter who was banned by her club last year for making gender-critical comments on X. Find out more about her legal fight back by clicking here.
We’re also currently helping Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson after police visited her home a week ago over a complaint about a year-old deleted post on social media in the wake of the October 7th, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel (full details are here).
When we say that we stand up for the speech rights of our members, in the workplace and the public square, we really mean it. If you care about defending free speech and you aren’t already a member of the FSU you can join by clicking the button below.
In an era where speaking one’s mind can lead to unforeseen consequences, it’s reassuring to know that with the FSU and its 21,000+ members behind you, you won’t navigate those challenges alone.
