Transgender players spark boycott at women's pool final

The Womens Pro Series is a professional 8-ball pool tournament for women, organized by Ultimate Pool, featuring eight events per year. Each event hosts 32 female players in a knockout format to crown a champion. In the second tournament of this season, held in Wigan, Haynes and Smith outplayed all four female opponents to reach the final on April 6, where Haynes claimed the title.

The event has drawn fierce criticism. TV presenter and commentator Piers Morgan called it "preposterous" and described Haynes and Smith's participation as "cheating bullsh*t".

Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies also condemned the tournament, calling it "ridiculous and grossly wrong in every way."

Transgender pool player Harriet Haynes. Photo by Instagram/@harriet.haynes

The final took place at Robin Park Recreation Center, where protesters gathered holding signs such as "He’s a man","Save women’s sport" and "We support Lynne Pinches" as Haynes entered the venue.

Lynne Pinches, who had previously withdrawn in protest before facing Haynes in the 2023 final, reported that she was asked to leave the event on April 6, according to The Telegraph.

Among the protesters was activist Jean Hatchet. When her group chanted in support of Pinches, a man in the crowd told them they should be removed. Hatchet responded: "Why are you OK with a man playing in the women’s comp?"

The man replied: "Well she’s earned it, no one’s bothered, they’ve accepted it," to which Hatchet said: "Meanwhile women had to console Lynne for being thrown out of watching the sport she loves. If this pic doesn’t break your heart..."

Pinches, despite her success against transgender competitors in the past, maintains that the situation is unfair.

"Being biologically male and playing against females gives you a clear category advantage," Pinches said. I watch some of the shots they play, and I think females don’t play these shots down the rails like this and they don’t clear up like this. They [trans women] have a longer reach and a lot of them are taller than us."

She added that many people are afraid to speak out for fear of being labeled transphobic but insisted that "it's not a gender issue, this is a fairness issue."

In response, Haynes defended her right to compete.

"Trans women are not a threat to pool. We’re not coming over in droves...there’s nothing to fear," she told BBC.

Current regulations from the World Eightball Pool Federation (WEPF) and the English Pool Association (EPA) allow transgender players to participate in women’s tournaments without restriction. However, Pinches and three other female players are now taking legal action against the governing bodies.

Ultimate Pool, the organizers of the Pro Series, declined to comment, citing ongoing legal proceedings.