The Albanian Volleyball Federation has suspended a female player from one of the country's top clubs after rival teams raised doubts about her gender without providing evidence, according to interviews with the player, her club and documents seen by Reuters.

Tiranë

Brazilian volleyball player Nayara Ferreira was suspended from Albania's top women's volleyball league after rival teams raised unsubstantiated doubts about her gender. The Albanian Volleyball Federation required Ferreira to undergo a gender test at a specific laboratory, and suspended her when she refused to comply. Neither the Federation nor the rival clubs have provided public evidence for the claims. 

Ferreira and her club, Dynamo, have denied the allegations, with teammates asserting her identity as a woman. Albania's anti-discrimination commissioner has criticized the suspension as unacceptable and lacking legal basis. Ferreira has expressed concerns for her safety following the controversy.

Volleyball player suspended over gender claims

I feel scared. I feel like lost. I feel like, you know, depression. Brazilian volleyball player Nayara Ferreira says she felt like the world collapsed around her when she learned she had been suspended from Albania's top volleyball league after rival teams raised doubts about her gender without providing evidence. Now they look at me different. They know, ah, this is woman, she in between this case, you know, like she's man or woman, we don't know. The 32-year-old plays for Dynamo, currently second in the Albanian Women's Volleyball League. She has missed several games since October after the Albanian Volleyball Federation said she must take a gender test at a specific laboratory to prove she was a woman. In this situation, they didn't give me any legal base, any document. They didn't ask for me nothing. They didn't ask, for example, Federation from Brazil, like something, you know, nothing. Just come and say, Nayara, you need to make gender test. That's it. If you don't make, you are suspended from the league and the club will lose 10 points because of this. The suspension came after two rival clubs made allegations that she might be male or was using hormone therapy to enhance her performance. Neither the Federation nor the clubs have publicly provided evidence to back up these claims, which Ferreira and her club say are baseless. Elena Bego is the Dynamo's captain. Of course, we know that Nayara is a woman. We've changed together. There were speculations that she had her own room to change in, that she showered alone, that she lived separately. But we, as her teammates, completely deny those claims. We share every moment with Nayara, and none of that is true. She is, without doubt, a woman. But I believe this situation has come about because of the rivalry Dynamo has created this year as a very strong team. And I think that this has influenced this decision. Officials for the rival teams either declined to comment or could not be reached. The Albanian Volleyball Federation did not respond to repeated requests for comment. A letter sent to the club on October 6 and seen by Reuters said it planned to carry out tests to verify the player's natural physical performance and determine her gender. On October 13, the Federation said she should appear at a laboratory for a test two days later. Ferreira refused to appear and was suspended. Robert Gada, Albania's anti-discrimination commissioner, called the situation unacceptable. Taking such immediate measures, based on a completely unfounded situation, and moreover with negative consequences against an individual, is unacceptable for a society that claims to be not only democratic but also respectful of the rule of law and of human rights. Ferreira said she now fears for her safety. I don't feel safe anymore. Every time I go to the street, I feel like maybe something happened with me after this. I don't know. We never know.

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