KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - A new rule that orders female badminton players to wear short skirts could be scrapped after objections from China, Indonesia and Scandanavian countries, a Malaysian official said Saturday.
Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na of Korea return a shot against Japan's Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kaiiwa in their women's doubles badminton match during the Yonex-Sunrise India Open Superseries 2011 in New Delhi on April 29. (AFP-Yonhap News)
Women playing in the sport's top tournaments are compelled to wear skirts or dresses, even if they are worn over the top of shorts or trousers. But wearing shorts and trousers alone is banned.
The Kuala Lumpur-based Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Wednesday said it would go ahead from June 1 with the regulation on skirts, which was earlier deferred after an outcry from players and officials.
"There is a possibility a rule change can take place," S. Selvam, the federation's Super Series marketing manager told AFP, noting that objections started in China, Indonesia and India but now included Denmark and Sweden.
Those who object to the rule can urge the BWF council to abort the decision at the organisation's annual general meeting on May 28 in China, he said.
BWF deputy president Paisan Rangsikitpho denied women are being exploited but said the sport had to "differentiate the women's game", insisting that the skirts did not have to be short.
"It has never been the intention of the BWF to portray women as sexual objects, and nor is that what we are doing," he said.
"The ruling is part of a larger campaign to enhance the presentation profile of the sport. This is to help attract a wider target group amongst both younger and older people, and among both women and men.
"Aesthetic and stylish presentation of the players is certainly an important factor."
(관련기사)
여자 배드민턴 치마규정 논란
여자 배드민턴 선수들에게 의무적으로 짧은 치마를 입게 하는 새 규정이 성차별 논란을 불러 일으키고 있다.
쿠알라룸프르 소재 세계배드민턴연맹(BWF)은 지난 4월 여자 배드민턴 종목의 인기를 높이기 위해 그랑프리급 대회에서 선수들의 치마 착용을 의무화하겠다고 발표했다.
규정에 따르면 치마 속에 짧은 반바지를 입는 것은 허용되지만 바지만 입는 것은 금지된다..
BWF는 여자선수들과 일부 스포츠 관계자들의 격한 반대에도 불구하고 새 규정이 예정대로 6월1일부터 적용될 것이라고 수요일 밝혔다.
AFP 통신은 토요일 말레이시아 관계자를 인용해 새 방침이 중국, 인도네시아, 스칸디나비아 국가들의 반대로 폐기될 것이라고 보도했다.
BWF 수퍼시리즈 마케팅 책임자인 S. 셀밤은 반대하는 국가들이 28일 열리는 BWF 연차총회에서 이 규정의 폐기를 요구할 것이라고 밝혔다.
파시안 랕시킷포 BWF 부회장은 여자 선수들을 성적 대상화한다는 비판을 반박하고 여자 배드민턴 경기를 “차별화”할 필요가 있다고 주장했다. 그는 또 치마가 짧을 필요는 없으며 중요한 것은 선수들의 미적이고 스타일리시한 모습을 드러내는 것이라고 덧붙였다.
(Korea Herald Online)