Camogie shorts vs skort choice a big win for women in sport

The news this week that Camogie players will now have the choice whether to wear a skort or shorts is a win for women and girls in sport.

The issue made national and international headlines in recent weeks when players from Dublin and Kilkenny turned up to the Leinster Semi-final in shorts despite the Camogie Association rulebook saying they must wear a skirt/skort/divided skirt.

The match was delayed as the players were forced to change.

A week later, the Munster final between Waterford and Cork was postponed because a similar protest was planned.

There are plenty of things you can say about this issue.

But, one of the most important parts is that its resolution is one less barrier for girls and women in sports.

And it shows the importance of listening to women on the field.

Women’s sport the world over is plagued with inequalities.

Pay disparity, lack of funding and resources, gender stereotypes, harassment, and lack of career opportunities are just some of the ways women in sports are at a disadvantage.

The skort issue made international headlines because it was just one example of sexism in sports seen around the world.

Most people think sexism is malicious or about hating women- but most of the time it’s not.    Sexism is most often found in the rules that have always been, traditions or beliefs never challenged.

This was an issue camogie players have always known about, and many were concerned that it would stop younger women from competing.

Camogie players are not the only ones worried about the future of their sport.

Worldwide, the participation of women and girls in sports is of great concern.

According to the United Nations, girls, by the age of 14, are twice as likely to leave sports compared to boys.

A Sports Ireland survey in 2021 found that sexism, gender issues and confidence were some of the main barriers to women in coaching roles.

According to research by the European Commission in 2024, just 31% of all sports coaches were women in 2019.

Women only make up 32% of the members of the International Olympic Committee, according to the same report.   It's not that men cannot participate in the running of women’s sport.

Indeed, it is true that men do some great work in women’s clubs around the world.

But if you have never faced a challenge is very easy to overlook it when it happens to someone else.

Especially when it has always been that way.

Women’s sports have never been more popular than they are right now.

So, there has never been a better time to break down barriers.

The bad news is that means taking a good, hard look at the way things have always been done.

But the good news is that the women and girls in every club in Ireland and around the world already know what they need.