The International Rugby League (IRL) has banned transgender women from matches, as numerous sports review their policies after FINA's decision on swimming was announced on Monday.
Swimming's world governing body voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women's competitions and move towards having an "open" category in some events as part of its new policy.
FINA's new rules say transgender women are eligible to compete in women's competitions only if "they can establish to FINA's comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 [of puberty] or before age 12, whichever is later".
World Athletics and FIFA said they would review the rules in their sports, while the IRL announced a ban on trans women from international women's matches "until further research is completed to enable the IRL to implement a formal transgender inclusion policy".
The IRL said it came to its decision based largely on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ruling last year that it was up to individual sporting bodies to determine their own policies around participation.
"In the interests of avoiding unnecessary welfare, legal and reputational risk to International Rugby League competitions, and those competing therein, the IRL believes there is a requirement and responsibility to further consult and complete additional research before finalising its policy," an IRL statement said.
"The IRL reaffirms its belief that rugby league is a game for all and that anyone and everyone can play our sport.
The IRL said it would consult with the women's teams playing at the Rugby League World Cup in October and November to try to put together an inclusion policy, "which takes into consideration the unique characteristics of rugby league".
"The IRL will continue to work towards developing a set of criteria, based on best possible evidence, which fairly balances the individual's right to play with the safety of all participants," the statement read.
Chair of the IRL board Troy Grant acknowledged the organisation had a lot of learning to do.
"The IRL transgender decision is not one based on gender. It is one based on biology and physiology," he said.
"We are getting as informed as much as we can but we, like the rest of the sporting world and broader community, have much to understand."
