Women at the West Bromwich Albion football club will now wear navy shorts instead of white shorts to relieve anxiety that comes with having their period.
Players at the club said wearing white shorts had often been a cause of anxiety while playing. After discussions with the club, it has been agreed that players will wear navy with their home kits for the remainder of this season, and into the future.
The club has also said it will make the colour of any future kits a consideration in the design process.
Hannah George, the captain of Albion Women, said: “It’s great that the club are supporting our change to navy shorts.”
“Representing the club professionally and looking smart in the kit is really important to us. This change will help us to focus on our performance without added concerns or anxiety.”
Female athletes across sporting codes have raised concerns about wearing white while competing in recent years. Most prominently, there was backlash against the strict white dress code at Wimbledon this year. Australian player Daria Saville told The Daily Aus that she had skipped her period so she didn’t have to worry about bleeding through on her white outfit.
“It’s true, I myself had to skip my period around Wimbledon for the reason that I didn’t want to worry about bleeding through. We already have enough stress,” she said.
British player Alicia Barnett also spoke about the mental toll of sticking to the only-whites rule at Wimbledon.
“I do think some traditions could be changed. I, for one, am a massive advocate for women’s rights and I think having this discussion is just amazing, that people are now talking about it,” Barnett said.
At West Brom football club, women’s head coach Jenny Sugarman said she was proud of the club for working with players to deal with the issue.
“It’s our job as staff to find every percentage point we can to support our players to perform at their best,” Sugarman said.
“I’m proud the club have supported the decision to switch to navy shorts for our female players. It’s another sign of the continued integration of the women’s team across the club and recognition of a progressive and inclusive culture.”