FYI or die

Oh gawd, file this one under “what in the whaaat???”  Starting on Wednesday, female badminton players around the world will be forced to wear skirts in upper level competitions in an attempt to gain “popularity” with audiences in the lead up to the London Olympics.  Yup, following waning television ratings during competitions it seems that the Badminton World Federation is wanting in on the skimpy skirts of its far more popular cousin, tennis.

But the clear move to sexualise the athletes has been met with derision in the community. Hong Kong’s Chau Hoi Wah explains her issues with it:

“I know it’s to attract sponsors, but isn’t there another way it can be done? Are people really going to come and watch because a girl is wearing a skirt or a tank-top? And if they are, are they really supporting badminton?” 

SLAM DUNK (or enter more appropriate badminton terminology here) Chau Hoi Wah.

 And for the women who don’t want to wear the skirts for cultural reasons?  They are able to wear their shorts or tracksuit pants but they must wear the skirt over the top.  Surely this ridiculous rule will be overturned? If not by the federation, than it clearly is sexualising the women at their workplace against their will?  Surely this is in violation of some sort of workers rights?  Oh right, they don’t exist anymore.  Good luck, ladies!

I guess it would be easy to end it here with just a link to the amazingly CLEAR DIAGRAM provided by the federation to explain what skirts are on Jezebel but it seems a tad incomplete.  Clearly, the federation as misguided and ridiculous as their decision is, are trying to find a way to keep their sport financially viable, an issue that female athletes complain the world over.  They don’t get sponsors, they don’t get airtime and they don’t get the same financial support from the governmental sporting bodies.  The fact that the option chosen is to sexualise the women playing it, is neither surprising or innovative but I guess rather indicative of trends across society.  Hmm….

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UPDATE the federation has pulled the rule! Hurray!

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Speaking of women and sport, the role of women OFF the field/badminton court is discussed in this fabulous piece by academic Johanna Adriaanse on my new favourite website The Conversation.  Noting the dominance of women in our gold medal tally she questions the lack of female representation on Sporting Boards.

While there was not a singe female athlete at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, at the most recent summer Olympic Games, in Beijing in 2008, women athletes made up 46% of the Australian Olympic Team and represented 58% of Australian medallists.

The figures are even more impressive for the Winter Olympics held in Vancouver in 2010. At these games women represented 50% of the Australian athletes and 66% of Australian medallists. Women won all of Australia’s gold medals. However, women’s success in the board room is a different story as they continue to be markedly under-represented on boards of sporting organisations.

Read the full story here.