The London-based competition, sponsored by Nike, has seen a spate of withdrawals due to the treatment of a transgender player for Camden Bells FC
An award-winning five-a-side league which promoted itself as an LGBTQ+-inclusive competition has apologised and been suspended after several clubs withdrew over the "archaic transphobic rules" it has under the FA's guidelines.
The Super 5 League (Super5) in Hackney, which is sponsored by Nike Football, has more than 50 teams across seven divisions, and promotes itself as a sports environment "where women and non-binary people of all levels are welcome". It was named Project of the Year at the 2020 FA and McDonald's Grassroots Football Awards.
However, multiple clubs have announced a boycott of the league over the treatment of a player for Camden Bells, one of the teams in the league, and the Super5League now says no further games will take place in the immediate future.
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According to a statement from Camden Bells via Instagram on Friday night, a Super5 official told the team that the player - who is trans non-binary - should not be allowed to play in a "women's league".
Hannah Thornley, Camden Bells founder, said they will hold a Zoom meeting on Monday evening with players and clubs to discuss further action, including whether to leave the league. According to Sky Sports, 22 of the league's clubs will be at the meeting.
Speaking exclusively to GOAL, Thornley said: "The league needs to take any LGBT+ branding off their site. This is why we are so angry - by being affiliated with the FA, it adheres to archaic transphobic rules.
"We encourage Super 5 League and the FA to look at the distress they have caused, and take action. This can't be brushed under the carpet.
"We played on the Tuesday night, and I was approached after the game by a league official. It was not in a very gentle way, it was quite rushed. We were asked if our trans non-binary player was going to play next week, and I was advised it was better if they did not do so.
"I spoke to the FA on Wednesday, and they were not helpful, in fact they were quite dangerous in the language they used - they didn't want to use the player's correct pronouns, they kept insisting on using the player's name so they didn't have to use their pronouns.
"The rules they have involve invasive tests in order for trans people to play, and if any of our team are not made to feel welcome, we are not going to play.
"We are so angry - this league has been going since 2017 as an LGBT-inclusive league, this can't be the first time this has happened. This is a well-known, financially backed league, and people feel scared to speak up about these issues. I am tired of the way organisations use LGBT labels to entice people and gain from sponsors, but then not wholly protect us.
"We just want to make proper change that lasts, and make people feel safe."
Since Camden Bells announced their boycott, several other teams in the league also said they would not play any further matches, leading to Super 5 League announcing on Monday that no further games would take place until further notice.
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