The All England Club, organisers of Wimbledon, is set to relax its strict rule on all-white underwear after female players raised concerns of experiencing anxiety during their menstrual cycles.
The important issue was highlighted outside the gates of Wimbledon this summer and protests were held using the slogan “Address the dress code.” The organisers said termed the tradition as “archaic” and admitted that it was making life unnecessarily difficult for female players. British Fed cup captain Judy Murray also voiced her opinion about the issue last week, asking for change.
Now, inside sources have indicated that the organisers of Wimbledon have taken note. They are ready to relax the all-white dress code next summer so that it applies only to the top layer of clothing.
In a statement, the AELTC said “Prioritising women’s health and supporting players based on their individual needs is very important to us, and we are in discussions with the WTA, with manufacturers and with the medical teams about the ways in which we can do that.”
This all-white code has been heavily policed over the years. One such instance was when Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania had to switch bras minutes before her match was due to start. The reason was that she was pulled up by officials because Buzarnescu was initially wearing a black bra.
The all-white code has been strictly policed in recent years. In one incident this summer, Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania had to switch bras with her coach a few minutes before her match was due to start, after being pulled up by officials because her own bra was black.
Tatiana Golovin made headlines in 2007 when took the court in bright red shorts underneath her white skirt. In an interview given to Telegraph Sport this summer, Golovin said that she had no plan to make a stand on the issue. She had simply forgotten to change her shorts after warming up. Nonetheless, the infamous shorts are safely tucked away in the loft of her house in Paris.
In an earlier incident dating back to 2007, Tatiana Golovin made headlines when she took the court in bright red shorts underneath her white skirt. Golovin told Telegraph Sport this summer that she had not been planning to make a stand on the issue. Instead, she had simply forgotten to change clothing after her warm-up. But she still keeps the notorious shorts in the loft of her Paris home.
Wimbledon, which has traditionally been run by women now has a women chief executive- Sally Bolton. Wimbledon can also have its first female chairman if Debbie Jevans can beat her rivals to the post.
Judy Murray, who was speaking at a female leadership event in Glasgow, organised as part of the build-up to the Billie Jean King Cup finals said that female administrators have a big role to play in making life easier on the women’s tour.
“ I think it’s certainly a much more open talking point,” said Murray, “but it would probably need more of the players to speak out openly about the trauma it can cause you if you are wearing all white and then possibly have a leak while you’re playing. I cannot think of a much more traumatic experience than that,” Murray said.
“When all matches are televised and streamed now, it is something that needs to be considered. It’s one of those things, when something like that becomes a talking point, decisions have to be made on it. However, it’s really important, too, that we have lots of women on the decision-making panel because they understand what that’s like to have menstrual cycles and they understand the fear of that happening while playing,” she added.
Comments
SHARE