The IEPF and the Ultimate Pool Group are committed to transparency and fairness within the realm of sports; we want to address an important update concerning IEPF/Ultimate Pool Women's events with the changes being implemented from 23rd April 2025.

1. This policy is endorsed by the International Eight Ball Pool Federation (IEPF).
2. This policy has been endorsed by the Ultimate Pool Group (UPG).
3. In recent times the IEPF (formerly WEPF) has been caught in a vacuum of uncertainty surrounding the issue of eligibility to participate in its women’s events.

Recent Developments

3. Two recent developments have now made the position clear.
   1. Thanks to UPG we have obtained an experts report upon the question:
      Was eightball pool a gender affected sport as defined by the Equality Act 2010?
      Crucially this report was commissioned to reach a conclusion not only on the question of whether there were biological differences between women born as women and transgender women recognised as women by way of a Gender Recognition Certificate but also whether any biological differences meant that transgender women had an advantage in the specific sport of eight ball pool.
      The clear conclusion of the biological and cue sports expert who jointly authored the report was that eightball pool was a gender affected sport and that in cue sports female players have unique disadvantages compared to male players and that transgender women retain male advantages.
   2. Separately the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers was handed down on 16 April 2025.
      In this judgment the Supreme Court ruled that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person’s legal sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
      The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner has confirmed that the ruling has brought clarity and that trans women cannot take part in women’s sport and that the EHRC would pursue organisations which do not update their policies.

IEPF welcomes the clarity which this judgment brings.

Eligibility

4. Accordingly having regard to the detailed and comprehensive experts report and the recent judgment of the Supreme Court it is necessary for IEPF to amend its eligibility policy for participation in the women’s individual and international team events.
5. With effect from 23rd April 2025 trans women will not be eligible to participate in IEPF women sanctioned individual events nor will trans women be eligible to be selected for international team events in the female category.
6. The Open category will continue to be open to all regardless of sex.

Zero Tolerance

7. IEPF continues to operate a zero-tolerance policy upon discrimination in any form.

Volunteering

8. This policy does not have any effect upon any aspect of volunteering and IEPF will continue to strive to ensure that the culture of the sport and the workplace is supportive and welcoming to all. Any discriminatory behaviour or treatment will be taken extremely seriously and appropriate action taken in accordance with our Disciplinary Procedures. IEPF will work to meet the individual needs of each person to ensure they have a positive experience of their volunteering.