Mayo to vote on skorts issue at tomorrow's historic Camogie Congress

Tomorrow, the Mayo Camogie Association will send a representative to Croke Park to vote on the highly controversial ‘skorts’ debacle, which has gripped the sporting sphere for the last month, at the Special Congress tomorrow (Thursday, May 22).

On Saturday, May 3, the Leinster Championship semi-final between Dublin and Kilkenny was mired in controversy, as the referee threatened to abandon the clash if both sides didn’t change out of the shorts they elected to wear instead of the rulebook-mandated skorts.

READ MORE: Opinion - Let them wear shorts

Since then, this issue has snowballed to the point where politicians, pundits, and players all have had their say. Now, one day out, the county board representatives stand on the precipice of a historic decision.

A GPA report has shown that 83 percent of players are in favour of change.

Speaking to The Mayo News on the debacle, Westport camogie player Ava Lambert spoke on the necessity for players in the county to be allowed to wear what they please.

“It’s unfit for purpose and I completely understand why many players are unhappy with wearing them,” she stated.  “I think the most appropriate course of action would be to give players the choice of wearing a skort or shorts.” 

Those sentiments were echoed by GPA co-chair and Dublin captain Aisling Maher on Instagram.

“How are female players still having to push for permission to wear shorts while they compete at the highest level of their sport?” she asked. “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?”

In the wake of the vote, Mayo Camogie Association has circulated a poll amongst players in the county, as well as holding consultations with their playing members.

However, the Association has also decided to withhold its stance on the matter until after the motion has been discussed and voted on at Congress.

The board remains open to sharing their position in the wake of tomorrow’s discussion and vote.