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The World Badminton Federation's decision to make skirts mandatory is getting a lot of ink in the press and in the blog-o-sphere.
What I am most interested in is what the actual athletes of the WBF have to say about the decision. Below is an assortment of comments I have pulled from numerous news reports.
As you will see below the basic issue for athletes is not one of unnecessary sexualization, but that of choice. Why should the WBF be able to tell female athletes what they can and cannot wear? Especially when men are free to wear whatever they want.
Tin Baun, Denmark (World No. 9) (Source: Times of India): “Can you ask men towear a particular dress and play? Each player knows his or her comfort level, and you should not decide what is good for them.”
Imogen Bankier, England (One of Britain's Leading Mixed Double's Players)(Source: London Evening Standard): "I will fight to make sure this dated and simply sexist rule does not happen."
Jwala Gutta, India (who always plays in a skirt and is well known for her style)(Source: Bangkok Post): "You cannot make it compulsory for everyone to wear skirts. It depends on each individual and their comfortable level. I am not sure people will like being told what to wear and what not to."
Saina Nehwal, India (World No. 6)(Source: Badzine, Citing the India Times): “The stadium is always packed whenever I play, even if I’m in shorts. Let’s see how well they can promote the sport through this rule. I am sure it will be made optional after two months. Badminton is a lot about jumping and running across the court. Once the players start getting uncomfortable doing this while wearing skirts, I am sure they will fight against the rule together."
Yu Yang, China (Olympic champion in 2008)(Source: Badzine): “I don’t like wearing skirts. I am not used to them. When I wear a skirt, I don’t know how to play."
Li Xuerui, China (Last year's Asian Champion)(Source: Badzine): “I did wear a skirt in the All-England tournament last month but it was so big that even affected my performance.”
Anna Rice, Canada (Two-time Olympian, Retired)(Source: CAAWS): “As an athlete, whether I chose to wear a skirt or not, the ability to confidently walk on the court and succeed, is directly related to choice. I choose to wear a skirt – I also choose to wear shorts – the basic principle is that I have a choice. That choice is directly linked to my success on the court. In a sport where we’ve come so far in creating a strong and vibrant environment of gender equity, it is disappointing to see attempts by the Badminton World Federation to portray female sport not by the character, strength and athletic accomplishments of our extraordinary female athletes, but by a skirt.”
Yasmin Abrar, (India's National Commission for Women) (Source: Badzine): “Sports should be treated as sports. Forcing a dress code to make a game attractive is wrong. What is important is your performance, not what you wear.”

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