A sporting final has been postponed in Ireland after female players refused to take to the field in skorts as part of an ongoing uniform protest.
The Munster council canceled the camogie final between Cork and Waterford just shy of 24 hours before it was set to begin, following both teams’ announcements that they planned to wear shorts.
Their defiance has sparked a wider conversation about outdated uniform requirements in women’s sports around the world.
GPA co-chair and Dublin captain, Aisling Maher, expressed her frustration over social media regarding the uniform policy, highlighting that skorts are “uncomfortable and unsuitable for the game”.
“Why do female athletes still need to seek permission to wear shorts while playing at the top level in their sport?” she questioned on Instagram.
“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 echoed that sentiment when she appeared on local television a few days later, telling Ireland AM hosts: “We’re sick of people telling us what to wear when we’re playing our sport.”
Players from Cork and Waterford felt “completely let down” when their May 10 semifinal in Munster was called off after they made it clear they planned to play in shorts as well.
“There was an opportunity to take a step forward from the recent controversy,” read a statement from both teams.
“Instead, a provincial final has been postponed because we took control of what we would wear. To us, that feels like a massive step backwards.”
Camogie Association president Brian Molloy told local radio that he supported Munster council’s decision to call off the match but empathises with players.
He added that he’s confident the issue will be resolved soon.
A special congress has been set for May 22 to vote on a motion to introduce shorts as an option for camogie players.
Molloy seemed confident that the motion would get “across the line” despite two previous motions to change the uniform rule being defeated in 2024.
Australasia Gaelic Games President Ned Sheehy confirmed to 9news that camogie players in Australia already have the option to wear shorts or skorts.
