Female footballer, 18, who was banned by FA for trans comment wants body to apologise after case folded

A TEENAGE girl footballer banned for asking a bearded transgender opponent “Are you a man?” wants the FA to apologise after the case folded.

Cerys Vaughan, 18, raised safety and fairness concerns during a friendly.

Anti-discrimination watchdog Kick It Out complained and Cerys, then 17, was charged with breaching FA rules.

Vaughan, of Leigh Genesis FC in Gtr Manchester, was banned for six matches, with four suspended for a year.

She appealed against the decision and an FA board ruled the hearing “unfair” and dismissed the case.

It came after the FA said transgender players would be barred from June 1 following a Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.

Cerys said: “I’d like the FA to apologise for the way they treated me.

“It was stressful and in the end pointless.

“If the new ruling was in place when I asked the original question I’d never have been punished.”

The FA said it dropped the case after the complainant withdrew for personal reasons.