A transgender footballer and their club have reportedly breached Football Association rules barring players born male from participation in the women's game.

According to a report from The Telegraph, a player has represented the West Yorkshire Whippets this season, despite a ban coming into force on June 1.

The report claims the player featured in various matches over the summer, including on the day the ban was enforced.

The FA reportedly confirmed the individual's registration has recently been cancelled, after it was claimed the alleged breach had been highlighted by SEEN in Sport – a group established to champion fairness in women's sport.

Team sheets published on FA website were said to have shown that the player had started two matches and been on the bench in the third for West Yorkshire Whippets Developers Women opening three matches of the Harrogate & Craven Junior Girls Football League season.

'We're a small, volunteer-run grass-roots club focused on creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone,' the club told the Telegraph in response to the allegation.

'We do not comment on individual players for privacy and safeguarding reasons.'

The club had previously hit out at the FA's decision to ban trans women from playing in women's football and vowed to continue welcoming them into the club.

'It is exclusionary, harmful, and goes against the values we believe football should stand for — inclusion, fairness, and community,' a club statement read in May.

'Like all women's clubs, we are directly impacted by this decision and were not consulted. We are proud to welcome trans and non-binary players in our club, and we will continue to do so. Our club will always be a safe, supportive environment for anyone who wants to play the game they love.

'Football is for everyone — and we will keep fighting to make sure it truly is. To those affected: we see you, we stand with you, and you will always have a place with us.'

The club reportedly were among co-signatories of a letter calling for the FA's rules to be changed. 

The FA had updated its policy following the Supreme Court ruling in April, which ruled that the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex.

The governing body's transgender inclusion policy had been updated prior to that ruling and continued to allow transgender women to play in women's football provided they reduced testosterone levels.

The rule changes gave the FA ultimate discretion on permitting a trans woman to play, with consideration given to safety and fairness issues.

Following the ruling, the FA went gone further and barred transgender women from the women's game after acting on legal advice.

Only a small number of transgender women - around 20 - had played in the grassroots game last season.

'We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify, and we are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game,' the FA said at the time. 

The FA and West Riding FA, the county body, reportedly declined to comment when asked whether the club or player had faced disciplinary action for the alleged rule breach.

'We are not in a position to discuss individual cases,' a West Riding FA spokesperson told the Telegraph.

'However, we can confirm that we have worked with the relevant league to find a resolution to this matter.'