Transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey has bid to play in women's Australian Rules league rejected

Hannah Mouncey applied for the draft for next year's AFL Women tournament, having played women's Australian Rules football at club level in Canberra this year

The AFL made a last-minute decision to deny Hannah Mouncey the right to play (Twitter @hannahmouncey1 / Getty)

The Australian Football League (AFL) has been criticised after ruling a transgender footballer ineligible for selection on the day before the national draft for next year’s professional women’s competition.

Hannah Mouncey hoped to become the first transgender player in the Australian Women’s Football League (AFLW), having played at club level for Canberra this season.

But on the eve of Wednesday’s draft for the competition’s second season, the AFL set up a subcommittee to rule on Mouncey’s case, before handing down the decision that she was ineligible for selection.

“The subcommittee carefully considered all of the information provided by Hannah, as well as the available data on transgender strength, stamina, physique along with the specific nature of the AFLW competition,” the sport's governing body said in a statement published on Tuesday.

The AFL added that their decision only applied to the draft and the 2018 competition, and was not permanent.

Mouncey said that she was “extremely disappointed” with the decision of the AFL but added that she was grateful for the “genuine way in which they approached” her situation.

“Despite not being able to take part in the draft, the AFL has given me the all clear to play for Ainslie next year in the AFL Canberra competition for which I am very grateful and look forward to doing in 2018, before hopefully being able to nominate for next year’s draft,” she said.

The AFL Players Association has criticised the decision (Getty)

However, the AFL Players Association accused the AFL of lacking “clear guidelines” for transgender players. The AFL currently does not currently have a policy on transgender athletes.

“No athlete should face such confusion around their eligibility for an elite competition just days out from a draft,” Brett Murphy, the AFLPA general manager of player relations, said in a statement.

“We have urged the AFL to prioritise the development of guidelines detailing the process and parameters for entry into the AFLW competition, so that Hannah and any other players have a clear understanding of their eligibility.

“We will continue to support her from both legal and wellbeing perspectives.”