The FA have announced that tiers three to seven of women's football in England will be voided as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
All the results from the FA Women's National Leagues this season will be wiped out and there will be no promotion or relegation of clubs between the tiers. The FA are still yet to decide on how to proceed with the FA Women's Super League and the FA Women's Championship.
The announcement has sparked anger in some quarters. Barnsley Women's Football Club who play in Division One North issued a statement condemning the treatment of the third and fourth tiers. The same move has not been made for their male counterparts who are still looking for a solution.
They wrote that "the FA are discriminating against women" and that "the FA are not taking women's football seriously". They also said that the decision was taken without consulting any of the clubs in the tiers three and four.
In contrast, the FA said in their statement that "the FA, FA Women’s Board members and the Women’s Football Conference have consulted".
Barnsley is calling for the FA to reverse their decision. They wrote: "The players in tiers three and four of the women's game aspire to be professional footballers. They make huge sacrifices to train and develop their skills alongside working full-time in their day jobs. The FA have just unnecessarily damaged or taken away the dreams of thousands of female players.
"We owe it to all of these players to challenge the FA to reconsider and allow tiers three and four of women's football to eventually complete the season in the same way as tiers three and four of men's football."
The club added that they are in support of all measures relating to the pandemic but that they want the season to continue at a point in time when it is safe to resume.
The FA are still looking at ways for the Women's FA Cup to be completed.