Manchester City Women will stop wearing white shorts as they feel uncomfortable wearing them during menstruation.
Earlier this week, it was reported that the women’s team would shift from white shorts to another kit colour from next season. However, the team will continue to play in their burgundy shorts pending the time a new short would be ditched out to them.
Manchester City revealed that their women will wear their burgundy away shorts with their classic sky blue home shirt for the rest of the current season, as they did during Wednesday’s 6-0 triumph over Blackburn Rovers in the FA WSL Cup.
Since the men’s club was established in the 1880s, Manchester City has traditionally worn its white shorts alongside the famous sky blue shirts.
However, the decision to abandon white shorts for women was reached following the recent announcement of Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, and Scottish side Livingston to change kit colour to prevent spectators from easily seeing menstruation stains.
Puma and Manchester City’s joint announcement said: “As a result of player feedback and the underlying topic of women wanting to move away from wearing white shorts while on their periods, we have decided to implement changes to the products we offer to our female players.”
On the other hand, the issue of women wearing white shorts has also been discussed between the England senior team and their kit manufacturer Nike, with Euros Golden Boot-winning striker Beth Mead emphasizing that: “It’s very nice to have an all-white kit but sometimes it’s not practical when it’s the time of the month. We deal with it as best we can.”
Meanwhile, the Women’s health advocacy group in their research discovered that 64% of school-age girls will stop playing sports by their mid-teens because of period cramps and shame.
In the same vein, Adidas, in their 2021 survey revealed that one in four girls dropped out of sports in adolescence, with the anxiety of period leakage being the main reason.
Moreover, the result of a survey conducted by Women Sport early this year showed that out of 4000 teenage girls, an incredible 70% admitted they would avoid sport when menstruating.
Consequently, as female soccer players become more vocal about being uncomfortable wearing white shorts during monthlies, Manchester City has confirmed that their women will stop wearing them and the change would come into full effect next season.
In four recent seasons, Manchester City’s women team have switched to wearing matching sky blue shorts, even when there is a color clash with the opposition team.
As it stands, City women will continue to play with their burgundy shorts during the current campaign while it is envisaged that the club would revert to an all-blue kit from next season.
