Camogie shorts v skorts row – how did we get here?

Camogie players have not been fighting this battle alone, with Norway’s beach handball team and England Women’s Hockey team having both endured similar ordeals before reaching their desired outcomes.

In 2021, Norway’s beach handball team was fined for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms at a European championship match. This brought a rule change where women can now wear short tight pants.

In April 2023, England Hockey brought in new rules meaning female athletes can choose to wear shorts, skirts or skorts.

That change came after research from England player Tess Howard found gendered kits, such as skirts, play a major role in teenage girls dropping out of sport.

England Hockey updated their kit regulations accordingly, saying it “reflects and represents the diverse participation of our game and our country”.

Hollie Pearne-Webb and Nick Pink, the chief executive of England and Great Britain Hockey, then wrote to the International Hockey Federation [FIH] asking for them to review their kit rules globally.

In June of the same year, the International Hockey Federation amended its rules to give female players more choice with their kit, allowing players to wear a skirt, a skort or shorts, as long as they are the same colour and design.

The Lionesses, Manchester City and Linfield Women in football, Ireland women’s rugby team, Armagh and Kerry’s ladies’ teams all switched to navy or black shorts in recent years as opposed to white shorts because of period concerns.