Latest news with #CamogieAssociationofIreland
The Star
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Ireland's Camogie Association votes to allow players to wear shorts
(Reuters) -Ireland's camogie players have won the right to wear shorts after the female sport's governing body voted overwhelmingly in favour of changing its rules at a special congress on Thursday, putting an end to the recent controversy and protests which hit the headlines. The contested rule of camogie, the women's equivalent of hurling, stated that playing gear must include a skirt, skort or divided skirt, and the vote was taken after players' protests put pressure on the Camogie Association of Ireland to call a special congress. "We are pleased to announce that delegates have voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of giving players greater choice in their playing attire," a Camogie Association statement said. The new rule, passed with 98% of delegates in favour, will come into effect from midnight on Thursday, in time for the start of this year's All-Ireland championship on Saturday. Two motions to introduce shorts were defeated at last year's Congress but the issue came to the fore again in the past few weeks when the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) published the results of a survey showing 83% of players wanted the choice to wear shorts. "The GPA would like to put on the record our admiration for camogie players across Ireland and beyond, both at inter-county and club level, who made their voices heard to ensure this outcome," the GPA said in a statement. One provincial final went ahead after players were told to change into skorts after taking to the field in shorts in protest, but another was postponed when Cork and Waterford said they would also protest but would not be changing into skorts. (Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Ireland's Camogie Association votes to allow players to wear shorts
Ireland's camogie players have won the right to wear shorts after the female sport's governing body voted overwhelmingly in favour of changing its rules at a special congress on Thursday, putting an end to the recent controversy and protests which hit the headlines. The contested rule of camogie, the women's equivalent of hurling, stated that playing gear must include a skirt, skort or divided skirt, and the vote was taken after players' protests put pressure on the Camogie Association of Ireland to call a special congress. "We are pleased to announce that delegates have voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of giving players greater choice in their playing attire," a Camogie Association statement said. The new rule, passed with 98% of delegates in favour, will come into effect from midnight on Thursday, in time for the start of this year's All-Ireland championship on Saturday. Two motions to introduce shorts were defeated at last year's Congress but the issue came to the fore again in the past few weeks when the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) published the results of a survey showing 83% of players wanted the choice to wear shorts. "The GPA would like to put on the record our admiration for camogie players across Ireland and beyond, both at inter-county and club level, who made their voices heard to ensure this outcome," the GPA said in a statement. One provincial final went ahead after players were told to change into skorts after taking to the field in shorts in protest, but another was postponed when Cork and Waterford said they would also protest but would not be changing into skorts. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Camogie Association president confident shorts ban will be overturned
The Camogie Association of Ireland broke their silence eight days after player protests for the right to wear shorts began, with the governing body's president saying on Sunday that he wants and expects a motion to change the rule to be successful. The rules governing camogie, the female version of hurling, state that playing gear must include skirt, skort or divided skirt. Last Saturday, Dublin and Kilkenny entered the pitch wearing shorts before changing into skorts to avoid their match being abandoned, but when Cork and Waterford announced their intention to play in shorts, Saturday's Munster final was postponed. The Munster Council postponed the game giving less than 24 hours notice and the teams issued a statement saying the decision showed scant regard for the players. "I empathize with where the players are coming from, and from Munster Council's perspective, I 100% support their decision," Camogie Association President Brian Molloy told RTE Radio. "The key here is that we were working right up to the wire to try and resolve the issue and we thought we had." Two motions to change the rule were defeated last year, and player pressure has seen the association call a special congress for May 22 to vote on a new motion to introduce shorts as an option. "We proposed to the GPA that we would bring forward the congress decision to 2026, and I had a very detailed conversation with the GPA chief executive who welcomed that proposal," Molloy said. "Then 24 hours later, and I have no issue with this whatsoever, the players indicated, no, that wasn't enough, they wanted it faster than that." The All-Ireland championship is scheduled to begin two days after the congress, and another vote against shorts would put the sport's premier competition at serious risk. "I have to be careful not to be seen to be telling anybody how to vote. I am saying unequivocally that I want to see choice. That's my personal view," Molloy said. "I've spoken to a lot of delegates and the consistent feedback is that they are 100% behind keeping the skort but giving the option for shorts. "I'm very comfortable that we will get the support to get it across the line." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Ireland's Camogie Association to vote on whether to allow women to wear shorts
Ireland's Camogie Association to vote on whether to allow women to wear shorts The Camogie Association of Ireland will vote on whether women will be allowed to wear shorts when it holds a special congress on May 22, the sport's governing body said on Thursday, following player and political pressure. The announcement comes after players from Cork and Waterford said they would defy the current rules and wear shorts for this weekend's Munster final, even if it leads to the game being abandoned. The rules of Camogie, the women's equivalent of hurling, state that playing gear must include skirt, skort -- a pair of shorts with an overlapping panel resembling a skirt -- or divided skirt. Two motions to introduce shorts were defeated at last year's Congress, and the association rules meant that another challenge could not be brought until 2027. There had been reports that the association was considering voting on the issue next year, after a protest by players last weekend in the wake of a Gaelic Players Association survey in which 83% of players wanted the choice to wear shorts. "The Association had proposed to deal with this issue at next year's Congress but having listened to player feedback, the Association recognises that waiting until 2026 is not acceptable for many," the statement said. "Although similar motions did not pass at the 2024 Congress, the Association is committed to representing the voices of players who wish to have a choice in their playing attire." Last year, Britain proposed the inclusion of shorts as part of the playing uniform, and this was defeated with 55% voting against, while a Tipperary motion to have shorts as the only option did not pass, with a 64% vote against. If the motion passes, the new rule giving the option to wear shorts or skorts would take effect from May 24, the scheduled start date for this year's All-Ireland championship. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Guardian
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Camogie players don shorts in protest against skorts diktat
They are called skorts – a portmanteau of shorts and skirts – and the Irish camogie players who are obliged to wear them have had enough. Players from Dublin and Kilkenny instead wore forbidden shorts before a provincial game in a coordinated protest on 3 May that has won support from politicians and commentators who say the dress rules for the female-only sport are archaic. The players say skorts are uncomfortable and deter girls and women from taking up camogie, a female version of the Gaelic game of hurling, but the sport's ruling body insists upon the garment, which is considered more feminine than shorts. Niamh Gannon, captain of Dublin's camogie team, told RTÉ: 'Players have spoken out about the effect this has had on their mental health, just in terms of not being comfortable or confident seeing pictures after games of themselves in skorts. 'And there are young girls, who have said that they've stopped playing camogie because they don't feel comfortable. In no other area in our lives are we told that we have to wear something that resembles a skirt.' After years of complaints about rule 6(b) of the sport's code, which says players must wear a 'skirt/skort/divided skirt', Dublin and Kilkenny players turned up at their provincial Leinster semi-final in shorts. After the referee threatened to abandon the game, they changed into skorts but the protest has ignited wider calls for the Camogie Association of Ireland to drop the rule. Simon Harris, Ireland's tánaiste, said on X: 'Rules forcing camogie players to wear skorts while playing are archaic. Players have made their views clearly known.' Alan Kelly said he would like to invite the Camogie Association to address the issue before the committee. The chair of the Irish parliament's sports committee said: 'It's bananas that in today's day and age, there are rules forcing our camogie players to wear skorts, rather than their preferred choice of clothing when playing matches. 'We can't continue to ignore this. No sportsperson should have to tog out in gear that's unsuitable and uncomfortable.' The hybrid garment comprises an overlapping fabric panel over tight, compressor-type shorts, giving the impression of a skirt. In a recent Gaelic Players Association survey, 70% of respondents cited 'discomfort' while wearing skorts and 83% wished to have a choice between shorts and skorts. Aisling Maher said she loved the game but skorts were unfit for purpose. The co-chair of the GPA said: 'In no other facet of my life does someone dictate that I have to wear something resembling a skirt because I am a girl. Why is it happening in my sport?' Camogie players at London's Gaelic Games Association club Thomas McCurtains launched a Shorts Not Skorts campaign in 2023. But a majority of delegates at the Camogie Association of Ireland's annual congress last year rejected two motions to amend the rule. In a statement on Sunday the association said a democratic vote retained the rule and that a working group was examining playing wear. It said: 'A wide range of national and international manufactured skorts have been sourced. Testing of these skorts for comfort, fit and design, will begin in mid-May and will include adult and juvenile players from club and county teams, as well as referees.'
