Picture Credit: Twitter
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has decided to make kit regulations for female players more flexible with immediate effect. The decision comes after Great Britain captain Hollie Pearne-Webb and GB Hockey Chief Executive Nick Pink wrote to the FIH in April. Feedback had been taken from the GB players following England Hockey’s decision to make changes in the national kit regulations.
Also read: India beat Pakistan to clinch fourth Junior Men’s Hockey Asia Cup title
The hockey regulating body has now ruled that female athletes will be able to make individual choices to wear shorts, skorts or skirts in games. The kit should retain the identity of the team’s kit through uniform colours and designs. Earlier the players were forced to wear the same kits. Welcoming the decision by the FIH, Pearne-Webb has hailed it as 'big milestone for female sport'. She said, "We are really pleased with today's news that we will have freedom of choice over the kit we wear in international competitions. This is a big milestone for female sport, and we can all be proud that we, as well as the next generation of athletes, will have the choice for what makes them most comfortable."
Nick Pink, the CEO of England and Great Britain Hockey also expressed his delight at the decision. He said, "Earlier this year we changed the rules in the domestic leagues in England to give autonomy to the individual, encouraging players to choose what they feel comfortable in, regardless of traditional hockey uniform gender norms. Under our new domestic guidelines, players have the freedom to choose to wear skorts, skirts or shorts on an individual basis, with no requirement to wear the same item as other players in the team, as long as they are the same colour.”