History-maker Danielle McGahey Ribeiro, the first transgender cricketer to feature in an international match, is now preparing for a dramatic second chapter in her career after being barred from women’s cricket following the ICC’s transgender policy change.

Danielle, who made headlines after representing Canada in international cricket, is currently training in Brazil with hopes of joining the country’s men’s cricket side.

The move comes after the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned transgender athletes who have undergone male puberty from competing in international women’s cricket.

The Australian-born cricketer had enjoyed a rapid rise before the ban halted her career just months after her debut.

Danielle played six matches for Canada and impressed during the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier, scoring 118 runs with a highest score of 48.

She had earlier dominated the 2023 Women’s T20 National Championship, emerging as the tournament’s highest run-scorer and smashing the only century of the competition.

Speaking about her return to men’s cricket, Danielle admitted the decision has been emotionally difficult because of concerns about how the transgender community may react.

“I want to make it clear that if I could play women’s sport, I would. This isn’t through choice, it’s through regulation,” she said in an interview with The Observer.

Danielle revealed she had nearly accepted retirement before relocating to Brazil, which reopened a possible pathway back into the sport.

The cricketer also stressed that she has never faced problems from fellow players on the field and pointed out that years of hormone therapy have significantly changed her physical attributes.

“I’ve also been on hormone therapy for five years and physically don’t have the same attributes as men,” she said.

The debate intensified further after the International Olympic Committee announced new rules in March 2025 banning transgender women athletes from competing in female categories and introducing mandatory sex screening tests based on the SRY gene.

Danielle slammed the decision, arguing that the policy could also impact cisgender and intersex women athletes.

“Some cisgender women will find out they have a Y chromosome or they’re intersex, and that will be hard,” she said, adding that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had chosen a “blanket ban policy” instead of investing in deeper scientific research and sport-specific solutions.

The policy was backed by IOC president Kirsty Coventry, who confirmed that eligibility in women’s sport would depend on screening tests detecting the presence or absence of the SRY gene.

Despite the setbacks, Danielle said she would continue advocating for transgender rights and visibility in sports. “We deserve love. We deserve rights. We deserve respect,” she said.