logo
Periods limiting participation

Periods limiting participation

Nothing should stop women playing sport - period.
But a new study has revealed that menstrual cycles are among the leading reasons why women forgo playing sport.
The study, a collaboration between Victoria University's women in sport team and Share the Dignity, an Australian charity aiming to end period poverty, found 68% of women skipped sport completely due to their period, while 90% worried about leaking and 72% were anxious about their period while playing sport.
That is a rather large pool of people who are missing out on the chance to exercise recreationally, or as a competitive athlete, all because of something that is outside their control.
Yes, women can pay to go on contraception to manage, or even skip, their periods, but that is not a healthy solution, and why should women pay for that on top of the cost of period products?
The study, which surveyed 330 people, found the majority agreed sports facilities and their policies needed to recognise menstrual health as a fundamental right and provide free period products.
They launched the Bloody Good Idea initiative, aimed at providing free period products at sport and leisure facilities to help improve support for athletes who had their period.
From the people who had access to free products, about 50% had utilised them when they got caught out playing sport and no-one used them to add to their personal supplies.
Menstrual cycles can cause an array of issues for women during that time of the month, including cramps, digestive disorders, bloating and increased tiredness.
Periods have historically been a taboo topic to openly talk about, but the narrative appears to be shifting in the past 10 years.
After missing the podium in the 4x100m relay at the Rio Olympics, Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui frankly told reporters her period started the day before the race.
''That's why I feel very weak and tired, but this is not an excuse. At the end of the day, I simply did not swim very well,'' Yuanhui said.
United States double world champion footballer Megan Rapinoe has called periods ''as normal as breathing'', while her compatriot rugby star, Ilona Maher, openly told her TikTok followers she was taking 50 tampons to the Paris Olympics just in case, despite not expecting her period.
That language can help change the landscape of young women's perceptions of dealing with menstrual cycles in sport.
Israel marathon runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter spoke about her cramps being so bad during the Tokyo Olympics she had to take a break mid-race, and New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko talked about her experience with menstrual pain and tightness during the 2022 Palos Verdes Championship.
''The younger me would say it's embarrassing, but now I don't think it is that embarrassing to say it any more because I'm not the only one, right?,'' Ko said.
And she is right.
We should be supporting our young women, and elite athletes, through whatever their sporting endeavours look like and eliminating barriers that could stand in their way.
More has been done in recent years, with many football and rugby clubs swapping white shorts for darker colours to ease their players' comfort at all times of the month, and much of that has been led by those on the field now.
The conversation around periods continues to evolve - and it needs to - and it needs to be kept at the forefront to fight for a fairer future for women to understand the fundamentals of their bodies when playing sport.
It is what they deserve - period.
kayla.hodge@odt.co.nz

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister
Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister

Scoop

time2 hours ago

  • Scoop

Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister

Article – RNZ The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. Papua New Guinea's health minister, Elias Kapavore, says polio vaccines are set to arrive in the country next week. The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. The Post Courier reported that as of 6 June, 48 cases of acute flaccid paralysis – a condition characterized by rapid onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, but not a disease in itself – had been reported across 11 provinces. Of these, 20 tested negatives for poliovirus, and 28 remain under investigation. Kapavore said the primary objective is to protect children from paralysis and prevent further virus transmission. Kapavore said vaccines are scheduled to arrive between 16 and 20 June. The estimated cost for two rounds of the vaccination campaign is 88 million kina (US$21.4m). So far, 74 million kina has been secured through the PNG and Australian governments and from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as well as technical and logistical support from WHO and UNICEF, including the full cost of the nOPV2 vaccine supply. During the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva, Kapavore presented PNG's national statement, reaffirming its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and advocating for cross-border coordination, especially with Indonesia. 'The genetic link to the Indonesian strain [of polio] highlights the urgency of strengthening biosecurity capacity at the Papua New Guinea-Indonesia border,' he said. 'We must scale up surveillance and immunisation at these points of entry through coordinated efforts by the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Defence, Immigrations and Border Security, to prevent future cross-border transmission of polio and other infectious diseases.' He called upon every MP to actively support vaccination and awareness efforts in their constituencies. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has raised concern about comebacks of vaccine-preventable disease in east Asia and the Pacific. In the first months of 2025, countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Vietnam have reported a sharp rise in measles cases compared with the same period last year. UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said measles and polio are highly infectious. 'And children are paying the price for gaps in coverage, delayed care, and misinformation. No child should suffer or die from a disease we know how to prevent.'

Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister
Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister

Scoop

time3 hours ago

  • Scoop

Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister

The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. Papua New Guinea's health minister, Elias Kapavore, says polio vaccines are set to arrive in the country next week. The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. The Post Courier reported that as of 6 June, 48 cases of acute flaccid paralysis – a condition characterized by rapid onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, but not a disease in itself – had been reported across 11 provinces. Of these, 20 tested negatives for poliovirus, and 28 remain under investigation. Kapavore said the primary objective is to protect children from paralysis and prevent further virus transmission. Kapavore said vaccines are scheduled to arrive between 16 and 20 June. The estimated cost for two rounds of the vaccination campaign is 88 million kina (US$21.4m). So far, 74 million kina has been secured through the PNG and Australian governments and from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as well as technical and logistical support from WHO and UNICEF, including the full cost of the nOPV2 vaccine supply. During the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva, Kapavore presented PNG's national statement, reaffirming its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and advocating for cross-border coordination, especially with Indonesia. 'The genetic link to the Indonesian strain [of polio] highlights the urgency of strengthening biosecurity capacity at the Papua New Guinea-Indonesia border,' he said. 'We must scale up surveillance and immunisation at these points of entry through coordinated efforts by the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Defence, Immigrations and Border Security, to prevent future cross-border transmission of polio and other infectious diseases.' He called upon every MP to actively support vaccination and awareness efforts in their constituencies. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has raised concern about comebacks of vaccine-preventable disease in east Asia and the Pacific. In the first months of 2025, countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Vietnam have reported a sharp rise in measles cases compared with the same period last year. UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said measles and polio are highly infectious. 'And children are paying the price for gaps in coverage, delayed care, and misinformation. No child should suffer or die from a disease we know how to prevent.'

Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister
Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister

Scoop

time7 hours ago

  • Scoop

Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister

Papua New Guinea's health minister, Elias Kapavore, says polio vaccines are set to arrive in the country next week. The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. The Post Courier reported that as of 6 June, 48 cases of acute flaccid paralysis - a condition characterized by rapid onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, but not a disease in itself - had been reported across 11 provinces. Of these, 20 tested negatives for poliovirus, and 28 remain under investigation. Kapavore said the primary objective is to protect children from paralysis and prevent further virus transmission. Kapavore said vaccines are scheduled to arrive between 16 and 20 June. The estimated cost for two rounds of the vaccination campaign is 88 million kina (US$21.4m). So far, 74 million kina has been secured through the PNG and Australian governments and from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as well as technical and logistical support from WHO and UNICEF, including the full cost of the nOPV2 vaccine supply. During the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva, Kapavore presented PNG's national statement, reaffirming its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and advocating for cross-border coordination, especially with Indonesia. "The genetic link to the Indonesian strain [of polio] highlights the urgency of strengthening biosecurity capacity at the Papua New Guinea-Indonesia border," he said. "We must scale up surveillance and immunisation at these points of entry through coordinated efforts by the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Defence, Immigrations and Border Security, to prevent future cross-border transmission of polio and other infectious diseases." He called upon every MP to actively support vaccination and awareness efforts in their constituencies. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has raised concern about comebacks of vaccine-preventable disease in east Asia and the Pacific. In the first months of 2025, countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Vietnam have reported a sharp rise in measles cases compared with the same period last year. UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said measles and polio are highly infectious. "And children are paying the price for gaps in coverage, delayed care, and misinformation. No child should suffer or die from a disease we know how to prevent."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store