Pat Cash voiced his disapproval at 'ridiculous' Wimbledon rule before change

Daily Mirror

4 days ago

Wimbledon chiefs were slammed by Pat Cash in 2014 after several female players were reportedly forced to remove their bras for breaking the tournament's strict and archaic dress code
Wimbledon faced scathing criticism from ex-champion and commentator Pat Cash for insisting female players remove their bras if they weren't strictly all-white. The revered tournament loosened its stringent all-white dress code in 2022, permitting women to sport dark-coloured undershorts.
SW19 is synonymous with a rich heritage. But its long-standing principle requiring purely white attire has been subject to scrutiny by both critics and athletes.
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Wimbledon's adoption of such a requirement dates back to the 1880s, with the intent to mask sweat patches, which were deemed unsightly at the time. This policy extends to undergarments and sparked controversy when, in 2014, reports surfaced of women being compelled to ditch their bras for breaching the rule.
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Wimbledon's rules on attire dictate that all visible undergarments must predominantly be white except for a single trim of colour no broader than one centimetre. Relaxing these regulations in 2022, the guidelines now allow female participants to don solid, mid/dark-coloured undershorts as long as these garments are shorter than the players' skirts or shorts.
Yet, a decade earlier, the enforcement of this protocol was taken to an "ridiculous" extent, with various athletes allegedly instructed to remove bras that did not adhere to the dress code.
Great Britain's Naomi Broady seemingly skipped wearing a bra during her Wimbledon clash with Caroline Wozniacki in 2014, though it was not clear if she was prompted to do so.
Commentary on the peculiar enforcement came through on BBC Radio 5 Live, where Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon champ, lambasted the championship for its stringent dress code.
"Some of the girls have been told to go back and change their bras and tops because they had slight colour on them," fumed Cash. "I believe some of the girls didn't have suitable sports bras and had to go without them. It has absolutely gone ridiculous."
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The men weren't immune from the controversy either, as Cash noted: "One of the players was called into the referees' office because he had blue underwear that showed through when he got sweaty, so he was told not to wear dark underwear."
In 2017, the issue resurfaced when Venus Williams seemed to switch her bright-pink bra during a rain interruption, but chose not to discuss the event later. Responding to mounting criticism and calls for change from not just players and commentators, but also a protest by a group named Address The Dress Code, Wimbledon altered its rule three years ago.
The action group pressed for the relaxation of the strict dress code at Wimbledon due to the potential impact on female players who are menstruating, and their concerns were quickly heeded.
Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, spoke out about the modification, noting that it was meant to reduce "a potential source of anxiety."
"We are committed to supporting the players and listening to their feedback as to how they can perform at their best," stated Bolton. "It is our hope that this rule adjustment will help players focus purely on their performance."