AWRA condemns world badminton's skirt/dress decision

The Board and Members of the Australian Womensport and Recreation Association (AWRA) have issued a statement in which they "deplore and condemn the decision of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to make it mandatory for women to wear skirts or dresses in their competitions."

The AWRA statement continues "this change in dress regulations will take affect mid year for levels 1-3 competitions, making it mandatory for women to wear skirts or dresses, even having to wear them over shorts, which many women players prefer to wear.

"This change is explained as a way to raise the profile of women's badminton but it is seen by AWRA as a form of discrimination and a backward step for women's sport.

"Many international women's sports organisations are shocked that in 2011 we have a world sports body changing its rules to make women players wears skirts or dresses, whereas most sports have streamlined their uniforms to allow greater ease of movement."

AWRA President Janice Crosswhite adds "we are concerned that that these sort of issues detract from celebrating women in sport for the right reasons, which should be for their skills and performances in a particular sport and not due to how they look or dress. We support innovatiave ideas to raise the profile of women's sport but issuing dress code dictats about skirts and dresses is not the way to do it."

AWRA says that it will follow with interest the implementation of this new rule which will have to be adopted by national badminton associations around the world, where it can be expected that some member associations will not agree with the ruling and many women will not wish to comply and may drop out of the sport.

For more information please contact Janice Crosswhite on 03 9719 7553.

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