A women’s pool tournament championship in the United Kingdom featured two transgender athletes who defeated their female competition.
Harriet Haynes and Lucy Smith went toe-to-toe in the Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series Event 2 at Robin Park Leisure Centre in Wigan.
Both competitors defeated four female opponents each to get to the championship bout.
Each of Haynes’ matchups were rather close, but Smith dominated in the early going of the bracket. Smith defeated Jane Mitchell 7 frames to 3 in the first round and then beat Vicki Lomax, 7-1.
Haynes led the championship match, 6-3, at a point, but Smith came back to cut the deficit to one. Haynes, though, held on to the victory.
According to Ultimate Pool Group, Smith won 85 of 113 matches and 62% of 848 frames dating back to 2021 before entering the final. Haynes owned a .750 winning percentage in 241 lifetime matches and won 61% of the frames before taking on Smith.
The two players wound up facing each other in the semifinals of the U.K. Mini Series pool championships in October. Haynes won that matchup but lost the championship to a biological woman.
The rules of both the English Pool Association and World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF) state that trans-identified athletes are allowed to compete in the sport with absolutely no restrictions, according to their website. Those bylaws for the English Pool Association have been under review since December 2023.
In August 2023, the WEPF announced it was updating its guidelines to only allow those who were “born female” to play the sport.
“We understand that this decision may prompt questions and discussions within our sport. We want to emphasize that our commitment to upholding the values of sportsmanship, inclusivity, and adherence to regulatory standards remains unwavering,” the WEPF said at the time. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure the continued growth and development of the sport we all love, while maintaining a harmonious balance between inclusivity and the integrity of competition. We recognize the importance of fostering an environment where everyone can participate and thrive, and we remain dedicated to upholding these principles to the best of our ability.”
But in October that year, the WEPF reversed that protection. It allowed transgender competitors under the condition that they identified as female for a minimum of four years and submitted proof of lowered testosterone levels.
