This is a new breakthrough in women’s sport. Nike unveiled the outfits of the players of the French women’s football team on Monday, with shorts adapted to menstruation. No more white worn occasionally, the tricolors now trained by Hervé Renard will wear blue bottoms, light and matching the jersey when they evolve in blue, darker when the jersey is white. Six players, including the three Parisians Grace Geyoro, Sakina Karchaoui and Elisa De Almeida, posed with this new set which will be inaugurated on Friday in a friendly against Colombia in Clermont-Ferrand.
“Professional female footballers play two 45-minute halves with no breaks or timeouts. Many of them told us that they could spend several minutes on the ground fearing to have menstrual leaks, underlines an executive of the equipment manufacturer, Jordana Katcher, quoted in the press release. When we introduced them to this innovation, they told us how grateful they were to be able to wear these confidence-inspiring shorts when they can’t leave the field. »
A subject considered in other sports
In addition to the French football team, Nike has produced the outfits for twelve other national selections. Among them, the United States, reigning world champions, Canada, the English European champions, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The latter two countries will host the World Cup this summer (July 20 – August 20).
The subject of the rules had already been invited during the Euro in July 2022 when the English had asked their federation to no longer wear white shorts, too exposed to the risk of stains. “We are top level players and we know that unfortunately we have that. It’s part of our life, ”responded the tricolor captain, Wendie Renard.
Other sports have also taken up the problem. In rugby, the Irish now wear dark shorts. In tennis, the Wimbledon tournament will allow players to leave the traditional white for the bottom for the first time this year.
