Female basketball players have rushed to condemn Andrew Bogut for his ‘transphobic’ comments on a ‘biological male’ playing in a women’s league – but the Aussie legend has some high-profile support in his corner.
It comes after the 38-year-old father of two boys posted a call for action of sorts on Monday morning, writing of his disgust that the semi-professional women’s league NBL1 South, which incorporates teams from Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, will reportedly allow a ‘biological male’ to play.
‘Word is NBL1 South Women will have a biological Male playing this upcoming season. Are you ok with sacrificing the sanctity of Female Sport in the name of ‘inclusion’?,’ he wrote.
It quickly ignited a storm of controversy, with top female basketballers like Chloe Bibby, Saraid Taylor, Anneli Maley and Marena Whittle incensed at Bogut speaking for them, when they support having a female transgender player compete in the league.
On the other hand, controversial characters like tennis superstar Nick Kyrgios, ‘Bra Boy’ Koby Abberton, journalist Rita Panahi and NBL legend Matt Shanahan were in fierce agreeament with Bogut’s rant about ‘sacrificing the sanctity of female sport’.
NBA champion and Aussie basketball legend Andrew Bogut has accused the board responsible for approving a female transgender player to compete against women in the NBL1 South as ‘very, very biased’
He was called out by players such as partners Anneli Maley and Merena Whittle (right) for speaking on behalf of them when they had no problem playing against a transgender female
But Bogut took the controversial saga to a whole new level when he stunningly accused the board responsible for approving a female transgender player competing in the semi-professional league of being ‘very, very biased’.
‘The [NBL1 South] clubs were asked for their opinion on it, comically. None of them did in fear of losing their jobs,’ he said, though no coaches have commented on the matter,’ he said in a video on Tuesday.
‘I’ve got nothing against people who want to transition as adults … I do have an issue however that you feel that you can infiltrate women’s sport.
‘There’s actually a board of experts that sits, both basketball and medical experts, that determine whether you should be allowed to transition, and when you look into the background of these experts and their former jobs … it’s a pretty biased board.
‘It’s human nature to suggest everyone is biased but that’s a very, very biased panel of experts,’ said Bogut, who failed to give examples of how they were biased.
Andrew Bogut, pictured with his son Luca in 2019, has ignited a storm of controversy and been labelled ‘transphobic’ for suggesting there is a ‘biological man’ going to play in the NBL1 South women’s league this season
Many players were particularly appalled Bogut wrote ‘#GirlDads where are you? The hashtag is trendy until action is needed’, despite not being one himself, and for not asking for the opinions of any of the women involved.
Bibby, who plays in the league for Frankston in addition to her already successful WNBL and American college careers, was scathing.
‘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,’ she said.
‘They want to play ball and I have nothing but the upmost respect for this person. Go kill it queen!’
Commonwealth Games and WNBL star Marena Whittle said Bogut’s comments showed he was only interested in outrage, and not actually about ‘protecting women’s sports’.
WNBL star Chloe Bibby said she was wholly in support of a transgender female playing in the NBL1 South, where she also plays
Marena Whittle believes the controversial saga shows why one pride round is not enough to cut through the ‘hate’ and ‘transphobia’
‘Everyone putting in their two cents better be this loud when it comes to equal pay and marketing visibility. Talking about ‘protecting’ women’s sports? You better have a NBL1 and WNBL membership and go to every game,’ she said.
‘This [Bogut’s comments] really highlights the lack of understanding of trans rights. People went at me in the WNBL season about creating safe spaces for all people in basketball stadiums.
‘Why are you uncomfortable? I personally don’t see the issue if a player identifies as female and has been medically cleared to compete in female sports.
‘It’s important to remember legislation doesn’t yet allow for children to transition at an early age, and the goal of transitioning is to align your gender with who you feel you truly are. So your daughters wouldn’t be playing against ‘boys’,’ Whittle pointed out in reply to a man who said his daughters would now be at risk.
In reply, Bogut evoked memories of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying he could sympathise with sexual assault victims because he had two daughters.
‘I’m a man, yes, why am I commenting on women’s issues? I have nieces, goddaughter, aunties, grandmothers a mother, I’m going to voice out (sic) for them,’ said Bogut.
Whittle’s partner, fellow WNBL star Anneli Maley, who also played in the famed WNBA league in America last year, was singled out by Bogut for her support of the female transgender player.
Anneli Maley, pictured playing for WNBL club Bendigo Spirit earlier this month, labelled Bogut’s comments as ‘harmful rhetoric’
WNBL star Anneli Maley got into a public war of words with Bogut after he targeted her views that players were fine with a transgender woman playing in the league
Bogut said he found the Opals star, who won bronze at last year’s World Cup, was using ‘progressive modern-day new-school nonsense’, after she called out the ex-Boomer to appear alongside her on a podcast so she could educate him on what a transgender female actually was.
The war of words continued to spill out on social media, with Bogut accusing her of trying to ‘indoctrinate’ him for calling out his ‘harmful rhetoric’ and Maley facing a stream of abuse from the Aussie legend’s supporters.
She was backed up by yet another female player, who called out Bogut’s contradictions.
‘All the s**t I’ve seen is men getting mad and having opinions for us. We are the ones playing in the league and we aren’t at all bothered by it,’ said NBL1 South star Charlotte Lord.
‘Love he’s preaching gender equality, but trying to silence a female’s, who plays the sport, perspective.’
On the flip side, there was a stream of males, in particular, who were vocal on their support of Bogut’s strong views on the subject.
Disgraced ex-NRL star Josh Dugan commented ‘Well said’ on Bogut’s video, while tennis’ Nick Kyrgios commented his support of the NBA champion’s spat with Maley with a crying laughing face emoji. ‘Bra Boy’ Koby Abberton was another to publicly get behind Bogut’s thoughts.
NRL star Josh Aloiai, who was one of the seven Manly players that refused to wear a rainbow jersey and has previously been open about renouncing a ‘homosexual lifestyle’, also shared his disgust on Bogut’s Instagram post with a series of angry face emojis.
NBL legend Matt Shanahan, a three-time premiership winner, said he has a daughter playing in the NBL1 South, and doesn’t appear to believe it should be allowed.
‘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. Opening a massive can of worms if this is allowed,’ he said.
It comes after AFLW and NBL1 star – author Saraid Taylor – was a little more scathing of Bogut, sarcastically thanking him for his ‘concern’, and labelling him ‘transphobic’ for his views on Monday.
‘Hey, thank you so much for your concern about the sanctity of women’s sport. It seems genuine,’ she said, in a sarcastic, brutal takedown on his social media post.
‘If you wouldn’t mind using your energy to highlight legitimate issues women athletes face, instead of perpetuating transphobia, that would be so appreciated!’
Richmond Tigers AFLW star – and NBL1 South player – Saraid Taylor slammed Bogut’s comments and labelled him ‘transphobic’
Basketball Victoria, which operates the league, confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that a transgender athlete had made an application to play in the NBL1 South this season.
‘We have a transgender athlete application for the 2023 NBL1 South season. That athlete has waited for a process of eligibility to be put in place,’ a spokesperson said.
‘She has completed/submitted all medical and physical requirements and testing that’s been required of her and further documentation as it has been requested.
‘Basketball Victoria in collaboration with Basketball Australia are working through the final stages of eligibility of the athlete for the 2023 season,’ said the spokesperson.
The organisation put in place a transgender and gender diverse guidelines before the process was finalised, based on advice from Basketball Australia and Sport Australia.
Basketball Victoria’s diversity and inclusion manager, Sheena Atkin, said that while the sport has a long history of inclusivity and safe environments for athletes, coaches and officials; the new guidelines provided the clear support and frameworks needed for the whole Victorian community.
Bogut has slammed the league for reportedly allowing a ‘biological male’ to play in the competition this year (pictured: last season’s NBL1 South women’s champions, Ringwood)
‘Basketball has long prided itself as ‘Everyone’s Game’ and this remains the case, particularly at the ‘Community’ level,’ she said when the guidelines were released.
‘(While) We recognise there is still much to learn in this space, the new guidelines confirm the inclusion and safety of the LGBITQA+ community into all levels of basketball being an imperative.’
Bogut took issue with the diversity manager’s comments.
‘This quote is comical. The new guidelines confirm the inclusion (there is that word again) and safety. Well…besides the safety of the very WOMEN in the league, but sure sounds great!’
At the moment, the women in the league to comment publicly are not worried or in agreeance with his concerns.
The NBL1 South season kicks off on April 1.
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