Latest news with #womenssport
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The incredible donation to Dragons' NRLW squad from UFC star Alex Volkanovski - 'something that I wanted to do'
Aussie UFC legend Alex Volkanovski has warmed the hearts of many footy fans after generously donating $10,000 towards St George Illawarra's NRLW program. Volkanovski, 36, has also pledged to assist the club's wrestling program under new women's coach Nathan Cross. 'It's just something that I wanted to do. The sport is growing so much in this region,' Volkanovski told News Corp. 'If you can invest in the sport's growth, and create more opportunities, that's how it's going to get better. 'If there's a bit of money I can donate to help them be professional athletes, and maybe give those opportunities – whether it's strength and conditioning, physios, they need to help that process.' Volkanovski - a father of three girls - pointed to the success of the Matildas as proof women's sport can thrive in Australia if appropriate funding follows. His five-figure sum will go towards better equipment, camps, facilities, diet and nutrition support. Born in Wollongong on the NSW south coast, 'Volk' was never going to pass on his hard earned to anyone else but the Red V. Having himself waited years for mixed martial arts to be properly resourced, he understands the struggles semi-professional athletes face. 'I know that when I was able to go professional and fulltime, I (soon) went to a new level,' he said. 'I'm not expecting that money will be able to fix everything, but if we can point it in the right direction, we can watch the sport grow.' Volkanovski first entered the Octagon as a professional in 2016, and almost a decade later is one of the most respected figures in the sport globally. Boasting a career record of 27-4, with 13 wins via knockout, 'The Great' is a two-time UFC World Featherweight Champion. Previously, Volkanovski was a standout for Warilla Gorillas in the Group 7 Rugby League competition. In 2010 he was awarded the prestigious Mick Cronin Medal after being judged the league's best player.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Women's Sport takes centre stage across the BBC in summer 2025
Join the BBC this summer where names will be made, as women's sport is set to take centre stage with a stellar lineup of major sporting events, all live on the BBC across TV & iPlayer, radio & Sounds and on the BBC Sport website & app. From football, rugby and tennis to cricket, netball and athletics, expect career defining displays of athleticism from sportswomen at the top of their game all summer long. The BBC will be bringing people together to enjoy the biggest sporting moments, telling the homegrown stories that matter, of resilience, passion and triumph. Most importantly the BBC will be celebrating the names of those sportswomen who are inspiring the nations, building on its legacy of championing women's sport. To mark the start of this special sporting summer, the BBC is launching 'Names Will Be Made', a campaign that spotlights female athletes and gives them the platform they deserve. The summer campaign brings together all BBC Sport's live coverage and reporting and signposts content across the BBC for audiences to enjoy, all putting women's sport front and centre. A new BBC webpage dedicated to showcasing women's sport content from across the BBC has launched. The webpage will be audiences' go-to destination for women's sport content away from the live action, highlighting the incredible stories of sportswomen, content and participation opportunities from partners involved in the major events, and the best content from non-sport BBC programmes which are reflecting women's sport this summer. Gabby Logan, BBC Sport broadcaster says: 'The BBC has had a massive impact in growing women's sport and this summer we're pushing the agenda a bit further. We've got the Women's Euros, the Women's Rugby World Cup and the World Athletics Championships. 'We've always realised the value in women's sport. Not just because it's important to see women doing sport, it's important for society to believe that women can pretty much do anything they want to do.' Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, says: 'The BBC has a strong legacy in championing women's sport, telling their stories to audiences, from grassroots right up to those at the top of their game. As the most used sports broadcaster in the UK, I am proud to use our platforms to celebrate this huge moment for women's sport. 'No sidelines. No second billing. This summer is packed with top-tier women's competitions including the Women's Euros, Women's Rugby World Cup, the first women's tournament at Queen's in over 50 years and much, much more. The BBC is the only place that has it all covered across TV & iPlayer, radio & Sounds, online and social media.' The BBC will also be working in partnership with a number of organisations across the summer to amplify the stories of female sports stars and highlight opportunities around grassroots participation. Using local sports clubs, gyms, pools, and leisure centres to get more women and girls active. The organisations currently include The FA, Football Association of Wales (FAW), The LTA, Women in Sport, Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, England Netball, Sport England and ukactive, with more organisations and events to follow. Live sport across the BBC BBC Sport will continue streaming the new look Netball Super League throughout June as London Pulse, Loughborough Lightening and Manchester Thunder compete to be top of the table and Nottingham Forest try to secure a top 4 finish in their debut year. Digital highlights of the semi final and Grand Final will also be available for audiences to follow the action. Tennis then kick starts BBC Sport's summer schedule from Monday 9 June. For the first time in over 50 years women are competing at the historic Queen's Club with current British number one Katie Boulter and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu competing in the women's event. The grass court season continues throughout June and July with Nottingham, Eastbourne and Wimbledon, all live across the BBC. All eyes will be on England and Wales at the Women's Euros as the Lionesses set out to retain their title as European champions in Switzerland from the 2 July, and Wales take part in their first ever major tournament. In August, The Hundred cricket competition returns to the BBC. There is live TV coverage of eight double headers, featuring both women's and men's matches, including the opening matches and finals plus audio commentary on every game and digital highlights. Before then though, England women's cricket team begin a new era under coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt with series against West Indies and India starting on the 21 May ahead of the World Cup in September. There's live commentary on Test Match Special plus digital highlights. Later in August the world of Rugby will descend on England for the Women's Rugby World Cup. All four home nations are competing and, off the back of clinching the Women's Six Nations, the Red Roses will be the favourites to secure the trophy in front of home fans. Every single second will be live exclusively across the BBC from the 22 August. Rounding off what's sure to be a spectacular summer, the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo will showcase the best men and women in the world across track and field from Saturday 13 September. Meet the presenters BBC Sport and 5 Live will have a world class team of TV & radio presenters keeping audiences up to date with all the action, breaking news, and the stories behind the women competing on the world stage this summer. Clare Balding, Isa Guha, Jeanette Kwakye, Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, Katie Smith, Rachel Burden, Clare McDonnell and Gigi Salmon will be just some of the TV & radio presenters taking audiences through every serve, wicket, photo-finish, try and goal. Full presentation and punditry lineups will be announced in due course. Women's Sport on BBC TV and BBC iPlayer Women's sport will feature across a raft of BBC programming where audiences can get to know the sportswomen whose names will be made this summer. Bargain Hunt In August, presenter Christina Trevanion is the referee for a battle between two sports and two nations. In this special episode, the red and blue teams are made up of top former players from the worlds of Welsh football and English rugby. In red, flying the flag for Wales are footballers Helen Ward who scored a record-breaking 44 goals for her country, and defender Nia Jones who's a huge Bargain Hunt fan. Representing the Blues are Sarah Hunter MBE, the most capped English rugby player of all time and Maggie Alphonsi MBE, who helped her team to a World Cup win and seven consecutive Six Nations victories. Coached by antiques experts Kate Bliss and Gary Pe, the sporting stars scour the stalls at Shepton Mallet antiques fair searching for three items to sell at auction in Chippenham. Will the teams be as good at shopping under pressure as they are on the pitch? Christina also meets former England rugby captain Gill Burns MBE who fought tirelessly in the 1980s and 90s to open up the game to women, resulting in groundbreaking changes for her beloved sport. She also shares some of her personal collection of rugby trophies, shirts and memorabilia. Countryfile On Countryfile, Adam Henson visits Ysbyty Ifan to meet Gwenllian Pyrs, the 27-year-old loosehead prop for the Wales women's rugby team. Off the back of this spring's Women's Six Nations campaign, Gwenllian is back on the family farm. Gwenllian and her father, Eryl, take Adam up into the hills of their farm where they talk about the challenges of farming in such a remote area, how growing up on the land gave Gwenllian the perfect foundation for her rugby career and the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup. The One Show The One Show has been at the heart of this summer's sporting events since hosting the global stream of the Women's Rugby World Cup draw that saw hosts England drawn against the USA for the opening game in Sunderland, and is looking forward to cheering on all four of our nations later in the year as well as profiling some of their key players. Before then, they'll be celebrating the first female tournament at Queen's in over 50 years and supporting Wales and England as they gear up for the Women's Euros. Morning Live Morning Live kick-started the celebrations for the exciting summer of women's sport on the 14 May, exclusively unveiling the Women's Rugby World Cup trophy live on the show. Across the summer, Morning Live will be covering each of the major competitions, starting with Queen's on the 9 June. To mark the Women's Euros the following month, there will be a series of profile films, and films about the teams, featuring Mary Earps, Keira Walsh and Aggie Beever-Jones from the England team and Helen Ward, Mayzee Davies, Ceri Holland, Elise Hughes from the Wales team, plus Euros Fitness will be taking the place of Strictly Fitness during the week the tournament kicks off. After a short summer break, Morning Live will be back in September to cover the Women's Rugby World Cup. CBeebies Bedtime Story To celebrate women in sport, two inspirational athletes will read special CBeebies Bedtime Stories this summer. Abbie Ward from the Red Roses reads a CBeebies Bedtime Story on Friday 22 August to coincide with the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025. Filmed at the Red Roses training camp in Bagshot, Abbie reads 'Why is Mummy So Muddy?', which explores the world of rugby through a child's eyes. The story was written by Sally Myles, a rugby playing mum who wrote it because she didn't see her own story in any books. Eilish McColgan will appear on CBeebies Bedtime Story in September when she reads The Fastest Tortoise in Town, a new spin on the familiar fable, written by Howard Calvert and illustrated by Karen Obuhanych. Abbie and Eilish's stories are part of a series of CBeebies Bedtime Stories read by female sporting superstars. The Football Fantastics Get ready to lace up your boots and dive into the world of The Football Fantastics, a high-energy, feel-good live-action comedy series for young audiences that's bursting with laughs, music, and pure footballing joy. Set against the heartwarming backdrop of Yorkshire, the show follows six wildly lovable kids who come together every weekend for their local football group – where friendships are forged, and epic adventures unfold both on and off the pitch. Adding a touch of real-world sparkle is the ever-brilliant Jill Scott MBE, bringing her trademark wit and warmth to the screen, alongside guest spots from a number of the Lionesses stars including star striker Alessia Russo and BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner Beth Mead MBE, plus a surprise cameo from England and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and former Millwall and Leyton Orient player, Charlotte Lynch in her acting debut. Produced by Strike, the team behind the CBBC's hit series Jamie Johnson FC, The Football Fantastics is packed with big personalities, toe-tapping songs, laugh-out-loud moments, and plenty of heart. Whether you're mad about football or just love a great story, this is a series that scores every time. Newsround Newsround will be looking ahead to the Women's Euros sharing everything young audiences need to know in the build-up to the tournament, including the players to watch and introducing the host country Switzerland to young viewers. As the excitement builds, Newsround will be staging its own England v Wales football match with two grassroots girls' teams on either side of the border, and hearing what the young players love about the sport. Nina Blissett will report live from Zurich each day throughout the tournament, posing questions sent in by Newsround viewers, reporting on all the crucial games and getting young fans' perspectives. Later in the summer, Newsround will also report on the Women's Rugby World Cup, finding out the pathways from girls' rugby to becoming a professional from current internationals, discovering how much progress women's rugby has made in the past few years and asking what the future might hold for girls growing up today. Blue Peter Blue Peter will be at St George's Park – home to the reigning champions, the Lionesses – to meet some future stars of the game for a Women's Euros Special on Friday 27 June. Plus, Blue Peter fans put their questions to European champion Ella Toone and stars of the Welsh women's football team, who made history by qualifying for Euro 2025. Blue Peter's Abby also goes behind the scenes on the set of Match of the Day, whilst Shini is joined by two superfans at a Women's Super League match between Spurs and Arsenal. BBC Wales Together Stronger: Euros 2025 tells the extraordinary journey of Welsh women's football, culminating in their historic qualification for UEFA Women's EURO 2025. This film is told by the people who made it all possible, featuring football greats like Jess Fishlock MBE, Rhian Wilkinson, Helen Ward and many others. BBC Scotland and BBC ALBA This summer BBC Scotland is covering a breadth of women's sport, from the Women's Scottish Cup final in May, to the new era of Scotland women's national team under head coach Melissa Andretta. Her first game in charge, at home to Austria, will be live on BBC ALBA, followed by live coverage on BBC Scotland for the second game away to Netherlands, in early June. In July, Orkney will host the 20th International Island Games in its landmark 40th year since it all began in 1985 in the Isle of Man. This week-long event on BBC ALBA will see athletes from up to 24 island groups, including Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man and Anglesey, and from across the world compete in 12 sports: Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Bowls, Cycling, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Sailing, Squash, Swimming, and Triathlon. In September, BBC ALBA will also cover the final of the 20th Women's Scottish Camanachd Cup, the Valerie Fraser trophy, being contested by the top two teams in women's shinty. BBC Northern Ireland BBC Northern Ireland will be championing women's sport across the summer, following today's heroes and reflecting on the women who were trailblazers and inspired others. BBC Sport NI will focus on women in sport over the summer across all its platforms before turning its attention to the Women's Rugby World Cup in August. Northern Ireland Women complete their Nations League campaign and BBC Sport NI will have live coverage of their final two games on BBC iPlayer. Tanya Oxtoby's side will be aiming to finish strongly with a home tie against Poland on the 30 May before the away match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on the 3 June. Available on BBC iPlayer, the history, evolution and future of the 120 year old women's sport of Camogie is featured in the BBC Gaeilge film, Camán na mBan. And Ladies Gaelic Football Association referee Siobhán Coyle is one of the referees featured in Réiteoir!, also available on BBC iPlayer. Women's Sport on BBC Radio and BBC Sounds Radio 1 and 1 Xtra This summer, to mark the sporting excellence taking place across our screens, BBC Radio 1's Life Hacks will broadcast a special show focussed on women's sport, plus on 1Xtra there will be five weeks of special episodes on 1Xtra Talks with Richie Brave centred on women's sport. Radio 2 and 6 Music BBC Radio 2 will be supporting women's sport across its shows this summer, including The Scott Mills Breakfast Show (weekdays, 6.30am – 9.30am), who will champion the whole season. Beginning with the UEFA Women's Euros, Scott and the team will be following the England and Wales teams' journeys, and before it all kicks off, he will be marking the launch of the Wales squad and visiting the Lionesses on a training day. On BBC Radio 6 Music, Cerys Matthews (Sundays 10am-1pm) and SHERELLE (Saturdays 11pm-1am) will be reflecting women's sport throughout the summer with special guests. Radio 3 This summer Radio 3 presents Knowing the Score, a new three-part series where BBC sports broadcaster Eleanor Oldroyd delves into the rarely explored connections between classical music and sport. In each episode, Eleanor invites a sporting star and a big name in the classical music world to share their experiences and draw comparisons between their professions on the stage or in a stadium. The guests introduce music that inspires them, and Eleanor chooses pieces with a sporting theme which have meant something to her in her time covering 13 Summer and Winter Olympic Games for the BBC. The episodes feature soprano Elin Manahan Thomas & World Cup winning cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent, pianist Paul Lewis & cyclist Victoria Pendleton and conductor Edward Gardner & coach Clive Woodward. Radio 4 It will be a big summer of sport on Woman's Hour, including broadcasting live from a grassroots rugby club in the North East of England to mark the start of the Women's Rugby World Cup on Friday 22 August. Hear from some of the key decision-makers in women's rugby as well as those who play week in, week out, on what a home tournament means to them. And there's also a focus on football ahead of the upcoming Women's Euros, as the programme looks at the legacy of the Lionesses' win in 2022 and what lasting impact it's had on women and girls three years on. BBC Radio 5 Live BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra will broadcast live commentary from a host of this summer's big events, including Euro 2025, the Women's Rugby World Cup, Wimbledon, Queen's, The Hundred, England Cricket internationals, World Athletics Championships and the Women's Open golf. As Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter compete in the first women's WTA 500 event at The Queen's Club in over 50 years, 5 Live's Clare McDonnell will be live from the start of the event and delving into barriers around women participating in sport too. Presenters Rachel Burden and Jeanette Kwakye will be live in Switzerland for the start of the Euro's and the England and Wales match respectively, and 5 Live Breakfast will be announcing the winner of their TOP 30 greatest sportswomen of the last 50 years. BBC 5 Live's Naga Munchetty and other presenters will host a specially invited audience at Loughborough University to celebrate the incredible growth of women's sport. With players and experts from the world of football, rugby, cricket, golf, netball, swimming, athletics and more, we'll be holding one of the biggest conversations about women and sport, in the UK. The special programme will broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live from 1100-1400 on the 23 June and discussions will include managing grassroots participation, women's health issues, the growth of audiences, plus access, inclusion and more. BBC Sounds BBC Sounds will be the home of live and on-demand women's sport this summer, with 5 Live commentaries of the Women's Euros games live from Switzerland, and all the reaction to the tournament in the Football Daily podcast. The Tooney and Russo Show with Vick hope is returning for a hotly anticipated second series. There will be 10 new episodes available on BBC Sounds in the build-up to the Women's Euros where the England teammates and best friends will talk about their lives on the pitch and off the pitch. Episodes will drop every Monday and Friday from Friday 30 May. The podcast will also be part of a special Summer of Sport collection on BBC Sounds homepage, curating standout sport titles. For those inspired to take on a new fitness challenge themselves, why not tune in to Couch to 5k with Giovanna Fletcher and a host of guests, who are on hand to accompany and inspire listeners along the way with their fitness journeys. As part of a special collaboration with BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds' flagship on demand running playlist Pace Setter is to feature a series of music mixes across the summer, curated by a variety of guest hosts, including athletes and sportspeople, 5 Live podcast hosts and network presenters associated with the summer's major events. BBC Introducing BBC Introducing will present live showcases at The Hundred and the Women's Rugby World Cup this summer. These curated performances will feature live music from hotly tipped rising stars, all supported by BBC Introducing. BBC Introducing will showcase artists at several locations of The Hundred, including Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester, Cardiff, Southampton, Lord's Cricket Ground and The Oval in London and Birmingham. Alongside this, an all-female curation of artists will perform at Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, including performances across the official host locations of the tournament. BBC Local Across BBC Local, our series Home Grown Heroes takes us back to the home towns of some of the stars of the Women's Euros and the Women's Rugby World Cup to find out what and where made them who they are today. On Saturday afternoon Total Sport will encourage people to get involved in sport and will be talking about all things sport to mark a great summer of action. BBC Wales and BBC Radio Cymru Live radio coverage of Wales' Euros matches will be provided by BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, featuring commentary by Nia Jones, Mark Poyser and Helen Ward, and Welsh language commentary by Owain Llyr and Kath Morgan. BBC Radio Wales will feature a four-part series, Iconic: The Rise of the Women in Red, presented by Wales' record goal scorer Jess Fishlock MBE. BBC Radio Cymru has commissioned an anthem for the Euros. The Welsh language indie rock band, Adwaith, have composed and recorded an anthemic track for the station, to inspire fans and unite everyone in support of the team. Both radio stations will offer live commentary for Wales' Women's Rugby World Cup games from August. Listeners can also keep up with all the tournament talking points on the Scrum V Podcast with Lauren Jenkins and Gareth Rhys Owen, available on BBC Sounds. BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle The weekly Sunday With Anna Curran programme will feature regular items and updates for listeners to keep them across the Women's Summer of Sport season. In the first episode of Anna's brand new podcast series Top Woman, already available on BBC Sounds, Anna interviewed NI Olympian Lady Mary Peters. Irish language programme Blas – Ón Taobhlíne will welcome new expert women contributors to the series who will update listeners on key sporting events throughout the summer. Plus, Niamh Costigan tries her hand at handball at Magee University in Derry where she meets some current and future stars of the game, and presenter Fearghal Mag Uiginn gets an update on all things GAA with broadcaster Gráinne McElwain. Connor Phillips will follow the Ireland team's progress at the Women's Rugby World Cup on his afternoon show. In Irish Football Icons, one of Northern Ireland's greatest players, former captain Marissa Callaghan MBE who retired from international duty in March, talks to presenter Holly Hamilton about her career and leading Northern Ireland to the historic Euro 2022 finals. Originally broadcast last year, the full series featuring more football legends is available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. Trailblazer Joy Williams broke the mould when she became the first female Head of BBC Sport. Broadcast last year and available on BBC Sounds, Joy is featured in the six-part series, Broadcast Icons, celebrating 100 years of the BBC in Northern Ireland. BBC Radio Scotland Mornings on Radio Scotland will be looking at the personal stories coming out of the events and teams, reflecting these amazing Scottish sportswomen on Scotland's national station. They'll also host phone-ins to hear experiences from across the country on inspirational female sports figures and athletes. In rugby, BBC Radio Scotland will be providing live radio and digital coverage of Scotland's participation in the Women's Rugby World Cup, which starts on 22 August, as well as full previews, reviews and analysis of the tournament. There'll also be coverage around the atmosphere of the Island Games on the BBC's Scottish radio services, including on BBC Radio Orkney. Online content BBC Bitesize BBC Bitesize have an interview with 16-year-old netballer Gracie Smith, the youngest player signed to the Super League and who will be taking her GCSEs this summer alongside playing. Ahead of the Euros, BBC Bitesize will feature two footballers who played in the first ever Women's Euros final in 1984, Pia Sundhage from Sweden who is now the Swiss national team coach and Kerry Davis from England who was the first black player for the England women's team and is the third highest goal scorer for the team behind Ellen White MBE and Kelly Smith MBE. Visit BBC Bitesize BBC Archive BBC Archive has curated a collection of rare and inspiring content, including interviews with the Factory Football pioneers who played during World War I, the women who defied the 50 year FA imposed ban on women's football, the first England women's international match and the inaugural Euro's final. The curation also includes coverage of the first Women's Rugby World Cup as well as early footage and interviews with the founding members of the Women's RFU. Working with content creators, schedulers and platforms across the BBC, the BBC Archive team will help tell the story of women's sport across the UK. This unique archive material will be used to chart the progress, challenges and triumphs that have shaped women's sport, and will take audiences on a journey through its history, showcasing key moments and milestones from the 1920s to the present day. To find out more follow BBC Archive on social media. There will also be a special section of the Online History of the BBC telling the story of the Women's Sport Pioneers in broadcasting. Visit BBC Archive BBC Food BBC Food are celebrating women's sport from the first kick of the Euros through to the last try at the Women's Rugby World Cup. There will be in-depth articles centred on diet and sports nutrition – with input from the national sport teams' nutritionists, chefs and of course, the athletes who'll be competing at the events. There will also be six brand-new recipes produced by the Red Roses performance nutritionist, Aimee O'Keeffe. These are focussed on how to fuel your work-out to help you reach your personal best – recipes include double carb potato pizza and salted almond and dark chocolate rice cake bars. On BBC Food Instagram account, the summer's sports stars will be answering funny and informative quick-fire food questions. Visit BBC Food
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
'Archaic' camogie shorts ban needs changing now, says Irish lawmaker
The rules around the dress code for Camogie, the women's equivalent of Hurling, have been described as 'archaic'. Photo: AFP A rule banning women from wearing shorts while playing camogie, which led to recent protests, has been described as archaic by Alan Kelly, a member of Ireland's parliament, while also highlighting mental health issues in women's sport. Camogie is the women's equivalent of hurling. The Irish sport has hit the headlines after the Dublin and Kilkenny teams protested the rule by entering the pitch wearing shorts, and were forced to change into skorts or the game would be abandoned. The rules regarding playing gear for camogie, state that it must include skirt, skort - a pair of shorts with an overlapping fabric panel which resembles a skirt covering the front - or divided skirt. "This is absolutely archaic, it's ridiculous," Kelly told Reuters . "If one player leaves camogie because of this issue, it is one too many, so they really need to sort this out. Ultimately, the players should be listened to and they shouldn't have to put up with this in 2025." Two motions to allow shorts were defeated last year at the Camogie Association of Ireland Congress, and the weekend's protest came after the results of a survey by the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) were published last week. The GPA surveyed 650 inter-county players, with 83% saying they would prefer to wear shorts or believe players should have the option to choose and 70% reporting discomfort while wearing skorts. "Player welfare is at the heart of everything we do across the Camogie Association," it said in a statement when asked by Reuters to comment on the issue. "A democratic vote at Congress 2024 determined that the rules governing our playing wear should not change." Also in the GPA survey, 65% expressed concerns over exposure in media content affecting their mental health while 49% had experienced anxiety over period leaks. Irish politician Alan Kelly Photo: AFP Other sports have sought to address the issue of period anxiety, with many women's football teams as well as Ireland's women's rugby team changing the colour of their shorts. Wimbledon bowed to pressure and relaxed their all-white dress code for female tennis players, allowing them to wear dark undershorts. When it comes to women's concerns over media exposure, in beach volleyball, female athletes were required to wear bikinis until the International Volleyball Federation relaxed the rules in 2012 to allow shorts and tank tops. In 2021, Norway's beach handball team was fined for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a European championship match, sparking a global backlash which led to a rule change by the sport's governing body. Back in Ireland earlier this week another team, Laois, lined out for a match wearing shorts, before they too were forced to change into skorts. Another challenge to the rule cannot be put forward until 2027. Kelly, also head of the sports committee of Ireland's parliament, says this, along with the association's statement, is unacceptable, and expects more protests to follow. "They cannot wait until 2027 to deal with this, it has to be done before next weekend, I believe that all organisations should protest and I will support them," he said. "I have spoken to committee members about calling in the association to explain themselves if this is not dealt with, but hopefully, it won't come to that." -Reuters
