Latest news with #GaelicPlayersAssociation
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Camogie Association votes for change to allow shorts
A special Congress of the Camogie Association has voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing shorts to become part of the sport's official kit. The ballot on Thursday night saw 98% vote in favour of the change which will result in players across Ireland having the option of wearing shorts or skorts. The change will come into effect within days, starting with this weekend's games in the All-Ireland senior, premier junior and under-23 championship matches. The Camogie Association, which governs the sport and is made up of both male and female committee members, held their meeting at Croke Park. Camogie Association president Brian Molloy said: "We are pleased to announce that delegates have voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of giving players greater choice in their playing attire. "From midnight tonight, each individual player will have the option to wear skorts or shorts - adding choice while maintaining the professionalism and uniformity of our team kits in both colour and design. "I want to sincerely thank our incredible volunteers for their ongoing support over the last few weeks, and to our delegates for voting on behalf of over 120,000 members, including 94,000 playing members." The controversy over whether camogie players should have the option of wearing shorts or skorts had intensified in recent weeks, with protests staged by turnouts in shorts rather than the regulation skorts, leading to match postponements and delays. Rules had dictated that camogie players must wear a skort, or a divided skirt, for matches, although many players train in shorts. The skort has the appearance of a skirt, but has built-in shorts underneath. A recent Gaelic Players Association survey indicated 70% of players had experienced discomfort while wearing skorts and 83% of players believed they have the option to choose. Camogie is closely linked to the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and, along with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, is due to integrate into the wider GAA in 2027.
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
After More Than a Century in Skorts and Skirts, Ireland's Camogie Allows Shorts
The sport's rules were written more than a century ago, when the mere playing of Gaelic games was a political act in British-occupied Ireland. Much has changed for the island and its athletes since then, but one thing has not: Women on Gaelic Camogie teams are forbidden from wearing shorts during official play and are required to wear a skort. On Thursday, 121 years since the first rules ensconced the gendered uniform requirements, the Camogie Athletic Association voted to allow players to choose to wear either shorts or a skort. 'We welcome the result of this evening's vote for choice,' the Gaelic Player's Association, which includes Ireland's Camogie players, said in a statement posted on X. '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.' In a country that prides itself on contemporary, progressive policies, the exhaustive debate over Camogie apparel has needled some of Ireland's most entrenched underbellies. For years, athletes have said they would prefer to play in shorts. Young girls have said the same, and studies have shown that attire concerns are one of the main reasons girls quit athletics at a young age. Still, the sport's global governing body, the Camogie Association, had repeatedly voted to keep the skort rule in place, endorsing tradition and history — and, players said, gender bias. The rule 'screams sexism,' Jane Adams, a former Camogie All-Star from County Antrim, in Northern Ireland, told the BBC. Camogie is a brutal game, known for its physical demands and high-stakes contact, played with paddle-shaped wooden sticks and a small, hard ball. A uniquely Irish sport with few comparisons, at least in the American sporting landscape, Camogie is something like a cross between field hockey, baseball and lacrosse. A similar sport played by men is known as 'hurling.' Camogie was also one of the last major sports in the Western world to force its athletes to abide by a gendered dress code. Those regulations were written in the early 20th century while Ireland was still occupied by the British crown, which would declare Gaelic sports 'dangerous' and ban them from being played without permits. Many women's sports have faced similar reckonings in recent years, and there is growing consensus within the athletic community that concessions ought to be made for the differing needs of female athletes. In 2023, the International Hockey Federation voted to allow players the choice on what sort of kit — shorts, skirts or skorts — they would wear for official play. Manchester City Women and the England Women's Football Team have adopted darker uniform options, to address concerns over athletes' periods. Even Wimbledon has reconsidered its stringent dress codes; its all-white undershorts requirement now has an exception that likewise allows for darker garments. Despite a long-running debate among players over the skorts requirement, the Camogie Association voted as recently as last year to keep the measure in place. But recent weeks have seen the skorts question explode into the public forum after widespread protests by players disrupted several league semifinals and championships. Earlier this month, players in Derry arrived on the field in shorts and were sent back to the locker room to change. In Dublin, players from the city's squad and Kilkenny staged a protest, wearing shorts as they appeared for a semifinal; both teams were sent back to the locker room after officials threatened to cancel the match, leading to a forfeit if the women didn't change. The images of female athletes being directed off the pitch by male officials have become emblematic of the debate. 'Career low for me today when 60 plus players ready to play a championship game in shorts are told their match will be abandoned if every player doesn't change into skorts,' Aisling Maher, the captain of the Dublin Camogie team, said on social media after the protest. Days after the Dublin match, Camogie officials were made aware of a planned protest by the Cork and Waterford teams, who were due to face each other in a provincial final. The game was postponed, and players doubted it would be rescheduled. 'We were willing to take that stance. We knew we'd have to drive this forward,' said Lorraine Bray, 28, the captain of the Waterford team. It was only the second time the county had appeared in the provincial final, she said, so the postponement stung. But, she said, it had led to something: 'I suppose that's what made it go to congress,' she said of the vote. 'I think the message that goes out to players is, we will react. We will engage. We will work. If you talk to us, we will work with you. But we will do it within our rules,' Brian Molloy, the president of the Camogie Association, said in a statement after the vote. 'We cannot set aside rules just because people want us to.' The vote, held by a Special Congress in Dublin's Croke Park, was approved by 98 percent of delegates. From midnight Thursday, players will be permitted to choose between shorts or skorts during official play. The move comes just in time for the beginning of the busy All-Ireland tournament season that is a touchstone of the summer and Gaelic sport calendar.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Camogie Association votes for change to allow shorts
A special Congress of the Camogie Association has voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing shorts to become part of the official kit for the ballot on Thursday night saw 98% vote in favour of the change which will result in players having the option of wearing shorts or skorts. The adoption of the change will come into effect within days, starting with this weekend's games in the All-Ireland senior, premier junior and Under-23 championship matches. The Camogie Association, which governs the sport and is made up of both male and female committee members, held their meeting at Croke controversy over whether camogie players should have the option of wearing shorts or skorts had intensified in recent weeks, with players across Ireland staging protests by turning out for matches in shorts rather than the regulation skorts, leading to match postponements and had dictated that camogie players must wear a skort, or a divided skirt, for matches, though many players train in skort has the appearance of a skirt but has built-in shorts underneath.A recent Gaelic Players Association survey indicated that 70% of players had experienced discomfort while wearing skorts and that 83% of players believed they have the option to is closely linked to the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and alongside the Ladies Gaelic Football Association is due to integrate into the wider GAA in 2027.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Leinster camogie finalists to partake in skorts protest
Four camogie panels involved in Leinster senior and intermediate finals on Saturday have stated their intention to wear shorts in the deciders to protest against the ongoing skorts camogie finalists Kilkenny and Wexford as well as intermediate finalists Carlow and Laois said they will wear shorts but will change into skorts if asked by the referee to ensure the deciders go ahead.A joint statement issued by the Gaelic Players Association, external on behalf of the panels on Wednesday said: "Today, we come together, united, to make an almost impossible choice because camogie authorities refuse to do so."We will be togged out in shorts at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday and we want our choice to be respected."However, if the current outdated rule is enforced, we will change into skorts, solely to ensure the games are not abandoned. We will play the games under protest." Fourth protest in May As part of the protest, the four sides "do not consent to any photography or video to be taken of the matches themselves, should we be forced to wear skorts," the statement continued."We call on the Leinster Council to ensure this is enforced and we ask both the media and supporters to respect our position."Kilkenny, along with Dublin were forced to change into the skorts required under camogie rules before their Leinster Championship semi-final could go ahead after taking to the field in shorts earlier this ongoing row led to Munster Camogie postponing last weekend's scheduled provincial final after the Cork and Waterford players confirmed their intention to wear shorts in the game in protest at the sport's and Waterford's players responded by saying that they felt "completely let down" by the Sunday, Derry players were told to change from shorts into skorts before their Ulster Senior Final defeat by sport's governing body, the Camogie Association, has called a Special Congress for 22 May to vote on the issue, which if passed would give players the option to wear shorts from 24 May."We have made this decision based on the belief and trust that players will be listened to and heard. We expect camogie delegates will vote for choice at Special Congress on 22 May and that no further protest will be necessary," the statement added."We stand steadfastly with our fellow players in demanding that choice."
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Top female athletes protest 'outdated' uniform mandate at championship match
Camogie players have begun wearing shorts to matches after multiple motions to update the skort mandate were defeated last year in Ireland. The issue has highlighted a gendered divide within Irish sports On May 3, Irish camogie players from Dublin and Kilkenny wore shorts in a planned protest against the sport's skort mandate. During the provincial Leinster semi-final match, players from both teams turned up in shorts, but were forced to change into skorts when the referee threatened to abandon the game. Camogie is considered the female counterpart to men's hurling, with minor rule and code variations. One of which is the dress code. Unlike hurling players, camogie players do not have the option to choose between shorts and skorts during play. For years, camogie players have been protesting rule 6(b) of the sport's code which mandates that players wear a 'skirt/skort/divided skirt'. The players say skorts are not only uncomfortable during play, but deter girls and women from taking up the sport. In advance of the championship protest, the official player representative body for footballers and hurlers in Ireland, Gaelic Players Association (GPA), released its Annual Player Survey which confirmed the discomfort that skorts cause camogie players. According to GPA's research findings, 70% of players reported discomfort while wearing skorts and 83% of camogie players would prefer to wear shorts or have the option to choose between shorts and skorts. The findings also revealed that skorts and skirts have a mental toll during play, with 65% of players sharing that concerns about exposure in the media affects their mental state. Aisling Maher, a Dublin Camogie Captain said it was a 'career low' when all players were forced to change before the semi-final match. Posting on her Instagram account after the match, Maher wrote: 'I love this game but I am sick of being forced to wear a skort that is uncomfortable and unfit for purpose. How are female players still having to push for permission to wear shorts while they compete at the highest level of their sport'. Maher continued: '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?' The GPA's position paper states that the Camogie Association's skort mandate 'no longer reflects the preferences or welfare needs of today's players.' While the semi-final players changed into skorts under pressure from match officials, the protest has sparked renewed conversation about the traditionalist and unfair dress code. Many sports associations including the European Athletes and Players Association have expressed their support for camogie players and their protests alongside the GPA. Simon Harris, Ireland's Tánaiste, also posted his support on X: 'Rules forcing camogie players to wear skorts while playing are archaic. Players have made their views clearly known.' Similarly, Alan Kelly, the chair of the Irish parliament's sports committee, said he would like to invite the Camogie Association to address the issue before the committee. '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,' says Kelly. The Camogie Association has now announced it will call a Special Congress on May 22 in a bid to resolve the controversy over players being forced to wear skorts rather than shorts. That said, there were already two votes on the issue in Congress last year, according to Maher. Speaking to Ireland AM, Maher shared that last year two motions - one to introduce the option of wearing shorts and the other to replace skorts with shorts - were both defeated separately. Following the defeated votes, Maher highlighted that there was no effective dialogue between the Gaelic Players Association and the Camogie Association, and that the latter was prioritising developing a 'better skort' as opposed to introducing shorts. The player protest continued to escalate following the semi-final demonstration. The Munster Council postponed a major final between Cork and Waterford with less than 24-hours' notice when players shared their intention of playing in shorts. The Waterford and Cork Senior Camogie Panels shared an official statement following the abrupt postponement. The statement expressed the 'bitter disappointment' of the players and said it showed 'scant regard' for their physical and mental preparation. The statement said that the association forfeited an opportunity to show their support for players in light of recent events. 'There was an opportunity to take a step forward from the recent controversy. Instead, a provincial final has been postponed because we took control of what we would wear. To us, that feels like a massive step backwards.' In the statement announcing the expedited vote taking place on May 22, the Camogie Association acknowledged that the original plan to wait until 2026 is "not acceptable for many". In their official statement, CA also shared that: "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." If the motion passes, the new rule allowing for the option to wear shorts would take effect two days later, from May 24th 2025.
