Wimbledon’s all-white dress code to be relaxed
Pushback from fans and players emphasize the need to support female players and their bodies.
By next summer, the all-white Wimbledon dress code is expected to be changed to the top layer of clothing only. The push came after concerns emerged regarding female players’ anxiety of wearing white underwear while playing on their menstrual cycle.
The AELTC said, “Prioritising women’s health and supporting players based on their individual needs is very important to us, and we are in discussions with the WTA, with manufacturers and with the medical teams about the ways in which we can do that.”
They look to follow suit of English football clubs such as West Bromwich Albion and Manchester City. Last month, the clubs took notice of such player concerns and swapped their old white kits with burgundy and navy colors.
The general criticism can be traced back to last summer, as fans and WTA players protested at Wimbledon with large white signs that read “Address the dress code” painted in dark red ink.
Protestors Gabriella Holmes and Holly Gordon created the #AddressTheDressCode petition, as they believed such strict dress codes serve as a barrier to not only professional athletes, but young girls breaking into tennis.
Since then, larger conversations have sparked, and the movement has garnered support from strong voices like Billie Jean King and Judy Murray.
In a Sportsmail interview, Murray mentioned the “traumatic experience” of a possible menstrual leak on the white uniform while playing. She also emphasized the need to have more women in power within the tennis world.
The traditional dress code can be seen as a nod to how male-dominated the Wimbledon board has been for generations. Now, with its first female chief executive, Sally Bolton, female perspectives can claim a necessary seat at the table amid this current issue and beyond.