Author J.K. Rowling expressed strong criticism of the BBC on Tuesday after the network awarded its prestigious Women’s Footballer of the Year honor to Zambian soccer player Barbra Banda, despite the athlete’s previous failure of a gender-eligibility test.

Banda, a forward for Zambia’s national team, received the BBC award after a public voting campaign.

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The nominees were initially selected by a panel of global football experts, including coaches, players, administrators, and non-BBC journalists.

However, the award did not come without controversy, particularly regarding Banda’s gender eligibility issues that had emerged in the past.

As reported by GBN, Banda was previously withdrawn from the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) squad after failing a gender-eligibility test due to concerns about her high testosterone levels.

Despite this, she went on to compete in other major competitions, including the Paris Olympics, where similar questions about gender were raised.

The Associated Press also noted that Banda was officially listed as “female” at birth, but the controversy surrounding her testosterone levels has continued to stir debate over gender inclusion in women’s sports.

Banda’s case echoed similar concerns raised during the 2024 Paris Olympics when Algerian boxer Imane Khelif competed in the women’s tournament despite having male chromosomes while possessing female physical attributes.

These instances have sparked widespread discussions about fairness and the impact of gender criteria in women’s sports.

The award, presented to Banda this week, marks a significant turn in her career, as she had previously been omitted from Zambia’s national team for the 2022 WAFCON due to the sex eligibility dispute.

However, Banda’s performance since then has been remarkable.

She was allowed to captain Zambia during their Women’s World Cup debut, and she currently plays for the Orlando Pride in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where she has become the second-leading scorer of the season, as reported by Fox News.

Despite Banda’s impressive athletic accomplishments, the decision to award her the BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year stirred backlash from several prominent figures.

Author J.K. Rowling voiced her disapproval on social media, accusing the BBC of disrespecting women. “Presumably the BBC decided this was more time efficient than going door to door to spit directly in women’s faces,” Rowling wrote on X (formerly Twitter), referring to the controversy surrounding the award.

Presumably the BBC decided this was more time efficient than going door to door to spit directly in women’s faces. https://t.co/JGGdIVxYNB

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 26, 2024

Tracy Edwards, a former round-the-world sailor from Britain, echoed Rowling’s sentiments, calling Banda’s award a blow to women’s sports.

Edwards stated that it represented the “destruction of women’s sports” and highlighted growing concerns about fairness in the competition.

Tish Reid, a 1992 British Olympic rower, added that mandatory sex screenings for athletes would help address any rumors or controversy surrounding eligibility in the female sporting arena.

Reid suggested that implementing such measures could resolve ongoing debates about gender in women’s sports and ensure that the competition remains fair.

In her acceptance speech for the BBC award, Banda thanked those who voted for her and recognized the contributions of her family, her national team in Zambia, and especially her teammates at the Orlando Pride. “It is for everyone,” she said in her remarks.

As the debate over gender eligibility in sports continues, Banda’s recognition by the BBC has only intensified discussions surrounding the intersection of gender, fairness, and competition in women’s athletics.