Footie star Barbra Banda at centre of gender row controversially named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year

A FOOTIE prima astatine the centre of a sex enactment has been controversially named the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year.

Zambian striker Barbra Banda, 24, missed the Africa Cup of Nations successful 2022 owed to elevated ­levels of testosterone successful a sex test.

She has present topped the Beeb’s canvass aft her show astatine the Olympics successful the summer.

But ex-GB swimmer Sharron Davies branded her triumph “just bloody ridiculous”.

And sailor Tracy Edwards called it “the demolition of women’s sports”.

Banda, who plays for US broadside Orlando Pride, said: “I americium shocked and amazed to person this.

"I would similar to convey the radical who voted and everyone who has played a portion successful my beingness and my career.

"It is for everyone."

She added: "I bash not similar to dwell connected the past. I person conscionable to absorption connected myself.

"If I kept connected reasoning astir what was going connected successful the past, mentally past I would not beryllium wherever I americium close now.

"But I consciousness similar my caput is that beardown and I cognize wherever I americium coming from."

A BBC spokesperson defended her inclusion and said the effect was based connected a nationalist vote.