An ongoing battle by camogie players over the right to wear shorts came to a head on Saturday when the Kilkenny and Dublin teams were forced to change into skorts before their Leinster Championship semi-final could go ahead.
The rules governing playing gear for camogie, the women’s equivalent of hurling, state that it must include skirt, skort – a pair of shorts with an overlapping fabric panel which resembles a skirt covering the front – or a divided skirt.
This is in contrast to women’s gaelic football where shorts are allowed.
“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,” Dublin captain Aisling Maher posted on social media.
Camogie is governed by the Camogie Association of Ireland, closely linked to the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and another challenge to the rule cannot be brought until 2027 after two motions were defeated at the sport’s annual congress last year.
Kilkenny and Dublin took to the field at Blanchardstown wearing shorts, a decision both teams had agreed on as a form of protest against the rule, but were told by the referee that the game would be abandoned if the players did not change.
“I love this game, but I am sick of being forced to wear a skort that is uncomfortable and unfit for purpose,” Maher added after the match, which Kilkenny won 4-11 to 2-22.
“How are female players still having to push for permission to wear shorts while they compete at the highest level of their sport.”
In 2021, Norway’s beach handball team was fined for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms at a European championship match. This brought a rule change where women can now wear short tight pants.
“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?” Maher added.
