Wimbledon’s bizarre rule gained major backlash from female players after some were forced to remove bras
The tennis tournament's strict clothing rules have been the centre of debate for years
Gregory Robinson
Wimbledon is known for its famously strict all-white dress code for players; a tradition so rigid it has sparked criticism and even controversy over players' undergarments.
Competitors must wear almost entirely all-white when on the court - this includes headbands, bandanas, wristbands, and caps. Players must also wear attire that is ‘almost entirely white’ rather than off white or cream, and ‘almost entirely white shoes’, including the soles and laces, according to the Wimbledon website. A small pop of colour is allowed around the neckline and around the cuff of the sleeves, but it cannot be wider than one centimetre.
As you can probably tell, the rules are extremely strict, but why? The colour choice dates back to the standards set in the Victorian era, as it was believed that white hid sweat marks better, and back in 1877 when the tournament began, such marks were considered improper.
However, in more recent years, there has been a move towards relaxing the rules after athletes and commentators criticised them. The all-white clothing rule also extended to undergarments, which led to controversy in 2014 when former champion Pat Cash claimed female players had to play without a bra because of the ‘archaic’ clothing rule rule.
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“Some of the girls have been told to go back and change their bras and tops because they had slight colour on them,” Cash told BBC 5 Live in 2014.
“I believe some of the girls didn’t have suitable sports bras and had to go without them. It has absolutely gone ridiculous. It’s archaic thinking.”
Men were also impacted by the rules, as Cash explained: “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.”
The debate around the all-white rule for undergarments arose again in 2017, when five-time champion Venus Williams changed her pink bra in the middle of a match.
But there has now there has been a slight, but notable, change, as female players have been permitted to wear solid mid/dark-coloured undershorts since November 2022. Although the garments must not be longer than their skirt or shorts. This change was introduced to reduce stress for those who menstruate during the championship.
Anne Keothavong, who is on the board of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), which hosts the event, called the shift to modernity ‘a welcome change in terms of rules’.
All England Club CEO, Sally Bolton, added: "It is our hope that this rule adjustment will help players focus purely on their performance by relieving a potential source of anxiety."
Heather Watson, a former British No. 1 who has won nine titles over her career, has also spoken up telling Sky News UK just how much she welcomed the dress code change.
"Last year [...] I went on the pill to stop myself bleeding because I knew we had to wear white undershorts, and I didn't want to face any embarrassment," she told the outlet.
"We're running around, sweating, doing the splits on the court. This year, I knew my period was going to be during Wimbledon again, so I'm very happy that I won't have to do the same thing as last year."