Q&A
A number of questions have been raised about the proposed Rule change that raises the age of mixed football from U11s to U13s.
1. Will The FA be actively encouraging girls to play mixed football up to the age of U13s?
No, we expect and encourage the majority of girls to stay in girls’ football and if they are talented join a FA Girls’ Centre of Excellence. This opportunity is to give the choice for a small number of girls who want to play with the boys to do so.
2. Why isn’t the same Rule change being introduced for U14s, given that they were part of the pilot scheme?
The independent risk assessment produced by Logistique recommended that further research should be undertaken at the U14 age before a Rule change was implemented, given the slightly higher degree of risk at that age range. As such research has not yet been conducted, the Rule change is not yet considered appropriate for the U14 age range.
3. Will we need to scrap all boys’ and girls’ competitions?
The Rule change would not prevent the continuation of leagues or cup competitions which are marketed and run as “Girls” or “Boys” leagues/cups, provided that it is acknowledged that if a girl wanted to play in a “Boys” competition or a boy wanted to play in a “Girls” competition, this must be allowed.
As set out in the answers above, the number of girls who showed a desire to participate in mixed gender football at these age ranges during the pilot was relatively low, and in general such girls had a specific and legitimate reason for wanting to be able to play mixed gender football. At no point during the pilot study, research or any of the correspondence we have received since has there been any request from any boys to be allowed to play in a girls’ team or league. We do not consider the potential for boys to be interested in doing so to be great.
4. Will we need to change the name of our league or competition?
We do not consider there to be any need for a club or competition to change names where they have the word “Boys” or “Girls” in their title. Of course, a club may chose to do so if a girl were to join its “Boys” teams (or vice versa) but this would be optional.
5. Could an all male team enter a girls’ league (and vice versa)?
In the event that a team which was predominantly male wished to enter into a “Girls” competition, or a team which was predominantly female wished to enter into a “Boys” competition, it may be appropriate for the competition organiser to work with the team to find an appropriate competition of the same gender as the team to compete in. However, there may be cases where such entry would be in the best interest of the competition and the teams involved. The FA envisages that the best response would depend largely on the facts of the individual case, and The FA would be happy to support any County FA in discussions with the competition organisers’ in this regard.
6. What are the perceived benefits to girls and boys from being allowed to play mixed football to U13?
a. Girls will benefit from opportunities for skill development, challenge, and enjoyment;
b. Boys and girls benefit socially from the friendships they develop and gaining respect for each other as team mates; and
c. Research on child development and physiology indicates that at U12-U14 ages there is considerable overlap between boys and girls in relation to size, motor skill development and ability.
7. What about the detriment to the girls’ game?
None of the evidence to date supports any concern that the Rule change would be to the detriment of the girls’ game. Globally, a number of countries have shown an ability to allow mixed football to a higher age and to have a strong girls’ game at the same time. Based on the three year study, it is envisaged that the change in Rule will only involve a small number of girls who wish to continue playing with their male friends, with the majority of girls continuing to choose to play girls’ only football. There was no obvious detriment to the girls’ game in those areas that allowed mixed football during the pilot scheme. The statistics set out below should help to resolve this concern: 1.1 million women and girls play football in England; The 2009-10 season saw a 7% increase in girls’ teams (players between the ages of 12-16 years of age) – 6,461 affiliated teams; There are 50 FA Girls’ Centres of Excellence where our most talented 8-16 year old female players are developing their football skills. A new talent development pathway for 2011-12 has recently been approved by FA Council which will see this number reduce to 32 Centres, which will release many more girls back to the grassroots game; and Only 119 girls showed a desire to play mixed football in the pilot age groups in the 3 years of the study. It would not be detrimental to the girls’ game if those players played boys’ football for a longer period.
8. Aren’t the proposed Rule changes unfair on boys?
The updated Rule applies equally to boys and girls.
9. What evidence did you have to support the Rule change?
In the 2007-8 season, The FA agreed that a number of mixed gender trials in the U12, U13 and U14 age categories would be conducted. The trials were subsequently extended to the 2008-9 and 2009-10 seasons. All CFAs were invited to take part in the pilots ahead of each season during the three season pilot. By season 2009-10, 31 leagues were involved in these trials, involving 96 teams and 119 girls.
In 2008, The FA commissioned Brunel University to evaluate these trials to determine the key issues involved in mixed gender football. The Brunel University report was completed in January 2009 and recommended that The FA continue to allow girls to play with boys to an older age group.
The FA then commissioned independent risk assessments by the company Logistique to assess the risk of injuries to players. No female participating in any mixed gender team studied required any treatment for injuries. Logistique supported the increase to U13. However, they recommended that further research should be undertaken at the U14 age before a Rule change was implemented, given the slightly higher degree of risk at that age range. Note that the proposed Rule change only goes to U13 and does not include the U14 age range.
The FA also consulted with FIFA, UEFA and various other countries’ football associations, the results of which showed that England had (and continues to have) one of the lowest ages for requiring separation into single gender teams. See question 2 below for further information.
In addition, various consultations and questionnaires were conducted. See question 11 for further details.
In April 2011, Logistique confirmed that their report and recommendations are unaffected by the time that has passed since its production, and that they believe that there are no new factors that would cause the original recommendations to be in need of updating.
The Brunel and Logistique reports are both weighty documents but we have uploaded them to MYFA where they can be viewed.
10. What happens in other countries?
a. Both Norway and Sweden do not have any restrictions at all, girls and boys can play mixed football to any age.
b. In Germany mixed football is allowed up to Under 17s.
c. Scotland allows mixed football up to under 15s.
d. Both Denmark and France allow mixed football up to under 14s.
11. The pilot was run on the basis of a maximum of 4 girls in a boys’ team only – is it a problem that the Rule change does not now reflect this?
Logistique, who conducted the risk assessment into the initial proposed Rule change, have confirmed that they are comfortable with these amendments to the proposed Rule changes from a risk perspective. However, during the three year pilot study, no boys requested the ability to play in girls’ teams and we consider the likely interest in this to be minimal.
12. What about facilities?
The pilot study showed that facilities were not perceived as an issue - both male and female players mostly came to all matches already dressed in their playing kit. However, it is acknowledged that this may not always be the case. Of course, many facility providers who would need to address this issue at U12 and U13 would already have to address the issue at U11 and would already have procedures in place. In situations where separate changing facilities are required, appropriate timetabling of changing room facilities would be one solution. Alternatively, changing rooms could be split between girls and boys instead of between the home and away team for the purposes of changing.
13. Why were only 119 girls included in the pilot? Is this really representative?
All CFAs were invited to take part in the pilot ahead of each season during the three season pilot. By season 2009-10, 31 leagues were involved in these trials, involving 96 teams and 119 girls. Where a CFA chose not to enter the pilot, The FA was obviously not in a position to include its leagues/players in the pilot. In addition, The FA did not actively encourage girls to play in the pilot, it was left as a decision for girls to decide whether or not they wanted to participate, as would be the case if the Rule change was approved.
The girls who participated in the trial were typically very skilled, had played football for a number of years, and had experience playing football in mixed gender teams. The primary reasons they gave for playing in mixed gender teams was the opportunity for skill development, friendship, enjoyment, lack of girls’ teams, lack of challenge on available girls’ teams and lack of players on a
boy’s team. We anticipate that those girls who would play mixed gender football at U12 and U13 would generally fit the same description.
In addition to the girls who competed, young players and the general public were consulted through TheFA.com, the “Your Game Your Say” questionnaire (10,000 responses) and the FA Youth Survey (5,000 responses). During the pilot, separate adult and player consultation questionnaires were developed and issued to 557 individuals who carried out a variety of roles within football. In addition, every CFA was asked to contribute through an open letter to County CEOs and Council Members on MYFA (September 2009). The ESFA and the ISFA were written to separately and asked to comment also. A 38% return was achieved, and this showed, amongst other things, that 66% of adults and 64% of players were in favour of raising the age limit for mixed gender football to include Under 13s.
The figure of 119 girls is the number of girls who chose to participate in the pilot, and reflects 96 teams and 31 leagues. All CFAs were offered the opportunity to participate in the pilot and to contribute through an open letter, and the general public and players have been offered the opportunity to submit their views. It is clear that a vast number of individuals have had the opportunity to contribute to the debate and all CFAs have had the opportunity to allow their leagues to participate in the pilot and to contribute their views already.