“Nothing is worse in sports than…,” Billie Jean King laments Wimbledon’s all-white tradition and believes underwear rule change is not enough
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Billie Jean King
Wimbledon is one of the most royal and prestigious tournaments on the tennis calendar. The tournament prides itself on its all-white tradition, something which has been carried on for more than a century. However, American tennis legend Billie Jean King has slammed the prestigious tournament for its all-white attire, which makes participants, especially female athletes, very conscious of their appearance during their menstrual cycle.
With a series of protests and objections from prominent players, Wimbledon organizers finally removed the requirement of wearing white underwear ahead of the next year’s championships. However, Billie Jean King believes such changes are not enough and demands more action. She also referred to her playing days, when players were tensed about their menstrual period while competing on the court.
In an interview with CNN, Billie Jean King noted, “My generation, we always worried because we wore all white all the time, And it’s what you wear underneath that’s important for your menstrual period,“
“And we’re always checking whether we’re showing. You get tense about it because the first thing we are is entertainers and you want whatever you wear to look immaculate, look great. We’re entertainers. We’re bringing it to the people,” she added.
‘It’s horrible,’ Billie Jean King on Wimbledon’s all-white tradition
Billie Jean King pointed out another reason for her disliking of Wimbledon’s all-white tradition. The former tennis player believes that the situation is a nightmare for the fans when both competitors are dressed in almost the same attire.
“Nothing is worse in sports than when you turn on the television and two players are wearing the same uniform or same outfits. It’s horrible,” she added.
Billie Jean King has been at the forefront of voicing her opinion against the rigid rules in place at the Championships. She wants the authorities to allow players to wear darker undergarments below their usual white match kits. According to the 78-year-old, this will allow the female players to focus on the match, rather than being preoccupied with other things.
“No one knows who’s who. This is one of my pet peeves, I’ve been yelling for years. Have you ever seen any sport where the people wear the same outfit on each side?” While Wimbledon’s decision to abolish their underwear rule wasn’t enough to satisfy King’s frustrations, the 78-year-old said she would welcome a change that allowed players to wear darker undergarments below their white match kit,” she added.
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Nirmit Mehta
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