TD says mandatory wearing of skorts in camogie is 'absolutely ridiculous'

Vivienne Clarke

The chair of the Oireachtas Sports Committee, Labour TD Alan Kelly has described the mandatory wearing of skorts in camogie games as “completely archaic” and “absolutely ridiculous.”

If the issue is not sorted out by the Camogie Association then he will call on them to come before the Sports Committee to explain their position, he told Newstalk Breakfast.

“I hope this gets sorted out immediately. They are uncomfortable and impractical”, he said he had been told by his 15 year old daughter who plays camogie.

His daughter had demonstrated to him how the skorts had an impact on play and could be a health and safety issue.

It was common sense to allow players the right to choose if they wish to wear shorts. “The risk of injury should supersede this."

There should be scope for a decision by the Camogie Association because of the safety issue, he said, when it was pointed out that there had been a vote on the wearing of skorts at Congress and the issue could not be voted on again until 2027.

Mr Kelly added that if one player left the game because of the skort issue “it would be one too many.”