Olympic Games:World champion Katie Taylor and many of her international boxing colleagues appear to have won the battle to choose their own attire on their Olympics debut in London this summer after a change of heart by the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA).
The amateur code’s governing body had previously courted scathing criticism by suggesting female fighters could be forced to wear skirts in competition as a means to distinguish themselves from their male equivalents.
But following a meeting of AIBA’s executive committee bureau this week the organisation has quietly updated its tournament regulations to suggest that women boxers will be given a choice of skirts or shorts.
Rule 8.1.3 of AIBA’s technical and competition rules, pertaining to boxers’ uniform, now states: “For all AIBA approved events, women boxers must wear...either shorts or the option of a skirt...”
AIBA’s initial suggestion that women boxers could be made to wear skirts was widely condemned by the boxers themselves, and led to an online petition which attracted over 60,000 signatures demanding the right to choose.
“It’s a disgrace that they’re forcing some of the women to wear those mini-skirts,” said Taylor when the idea first came to light. “We should be able to wear shorts, just like the men.
“I won’t be wearing a mini-skirt. I don’t even wear mini-skirts on a night out, so I definitely won’t be wearing mini-skirts in the ring.”