Wimbledon may change all-white rule as Billie Jean King and Judy Murray highlight anxiety over menstrual cycles
The All England Club is set to make the rule refer only to the top layer of clothing, the Telegraph reports
Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur at the 2022 Wimbledon final
Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic
Wimbledon, the oldest and most traditional of all tournaments, could change its all-white clothing policy to allow female players to wear coloured underwear after several former and current female players raised their concerns about the anxieties of competing there during their menstrual cycles.
Players, both male and female, have not been allowed to wear coloured underwear since 2014 but according to The Telegraph, that rule could now be relaxed in time for next year’s tournament.
The report says that the dress code – which says players must be dressed in “almost entirely white” is set to be relaxed for the 2023 Championships, making the “all-white” rule refer only to the “top layer” of clothing.
“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,” the All England Club said in a statement given to The Telegraph.
King: “We always worried because we wore white all the time
The current rule on underwear states: “Any undergarments that either are or can be visible during play (including due to perspiration) must also be completely white except for a single trim of colour no wider than one centimetre (10mm). In addition, common standards of decency are required at all times.”
Tennis legend Billie Jean King, who pioneered the WTA Tour back in the 1970s and after whom the annual women’s tennis team competition is named, is among those who has spoken about the issue and hopes the Wimbledon all-white policy will change soon.
“My generation, we always worried because we wore all white all the time,” King said, in an interview with CNN. “And it’s what you wear underneath that’s important for your menstrual period. And we’re always checking whether we’re showing.
“You get tense about it because the first thing we are is entertainers and you want whatever you wear to look immaculate, look great. We’re entertainers. We’re bringing it to the people. You feel like you can breathe and not have to check on everything every minute when you sit down and change sides. So at least it’s been brought to the forefront, which I think is important to have discussion,” King, a 39-time Grand Slam champion, including 12 in singles, added.
“If you are wearing all white and then possibly have a leak while you’re playing. I cannot think of a much more traumatic experience than that” – Judy Murray
Judy Murray, a former player herself who coached her two sons Andy Murray and Jamie Murray to become world No 1s and Grand Slam winners and who is also a former captain of the British Fed Cup team, also spoke about the Wimbledon all-white rule, saying that an embarrassing incident on court could become a traumatic experience for the players involved, especially in today’s digital age.
“I think it’s certainly a much more open talking point, but it would probably need more of the players to speak out openly about the trauma it can cause you, if you are wearing all white and then possibly have a leak while you’re playing. I cannot think of a much more traumatic experience than that,” Murray told The Telegraph.
“When all matches are televised and streamed now, it is something that needs to be considered. It’s one of those things, when something like that becomes a talking point, decisions have to be made on it. However, it’s really important, too, that we have lots of women on the decision-making panel, because they understand what that’s like to have menstrual cycles and they understand the fear of that happening while playing.”
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