Charlotte Royals move from women’s rugby to open division following USA Rugby transgender policy update

A rugby club in the United States has taken a major step after a recent rule change from the sport’s national governing body. The Charlotte Royals, a rugby program based in North Carolina, announced that they are removing their women’s teams and will instead compete in a newly created “open” division. The move came shortly after USA Rugby updated its participation policy. Under the new policy, women’s competitions will now be limited to biological females. At the same time, the organization created an open category where athletes of any gender identity or sex assigned at birth can compete.

According to a statement released by USA Rugby, the change means the sport will now have three divisions: men’s, women’s, and open. Following that announcement, the Charlotte Royals decided to shift all of their teams to the open division. The club said the decision was made to support transgender and non-binary athletes who want to continue playing rugby within their program.

Charlotte Royals rugby club backs open division after USA Rugby creates new category for transgender athletes

After the rule change, the Charlotte Royals shared a public statement explaining why they chose to move all of their teams into the open division. The club said inclusion was the main reason behind the decision.

The statement read: “The Charlotte Royals believe that trans women are women. Banning trans players hurts everyone in the sport and the larger community. We will be using the Open Division for any sanctioned matches we engage in, and encourage other clubs and unions to do the same.”

The club also spoke about the role of transgender activists in the LGBTQ rights movement. Their message continued: “Trans women were the trailblazers of the U.S. LGBTQIA+ liberation movement during Stonewall, especially Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. We will continue to include our trans siblings in our organization and community, without hesitation.”

Another rugby club, the Mother Ruckers, also supported the new open division and shared a similar message online.

According to the official statement from USA Rugby, the open category allows any athlete to compete regardless of gender identity. The organization explained: “USA Rugby will now have three competition categories: Men’s Division, Women’s Division and Open Division. The Open Division will permit any athlete, regardless of gender assigned at birth and gender identity, to compete in USA Rugby-sanctioned events, whether full contact or non-contact.”

The Charlotte Royals have long promoted inclusion within rugby. The team previously hosted the 2021 International Gay Rugby North American Championship in North Carolina.

However, the decision by USA Rugby has also triggered strong reactions online. Some fans supported the open division, while others criticized the policy.

One social media user wrote: “There are only two genders.” Another person reacted by posting that the decision was “total BS.”

The policy change comes during a wider debate in sports about how to balance inclusion with competition rules. The discussion has grown louder as the United States prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where similar issues around eligibility and fairness are expected to remain part of the global sports conversation.





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