Rule 2.8. Women's Polo Policy

In plain English

Polo is an open, fully inclusive mixed category.

• Following the UK Sports Councils' 2021 guidance on transgender inclusion, the HPA runs polo, grass and arena, as an open category: a fully inclusive mixed category open to men, women, trans, gender fluid and non-binary players. The great majority of games and tournaments here are that mixed game.
• Alongside it the HPA runs women's polo, with a separate women's handicap that spreads female players from -2 to 10 and so opens competitive play at every level.
• The HPA treats polo as a gender-affected sport, its evidence being the spread of handicaps women hold in mixed polo, and on that basis women's polo is open only to individuals whose sex was recorded as female at birth.

...we offer polo, both outdoor and arena as an 'open' category... this is fully inclusive mixed category, open to men, women, trans and gender fluid or non-binary.

Quoted extract · Blue Book 2026, Part 2, Rule 2.8

Read rule 2.8 in the Blue Book 2026

How is polo categorised under the HPA’s policy?

• Separate men’s and women’s categories
• An open, fully inclusive mixed category ✓
• Mixed only below 4 goals
• Open in the arena, separate on grass

Based on the UK Sports' Councils guidance (2021, Guidance for Transgender Inclusion in Domestic Sport), we offer polo, both outdoor and arena as an 'open' category – this is fully inclusive mixed category, open to men, women, trans and gender fluid or non-binary.

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