Calls for Urgent Action and Female-Specific Equipment
The British Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee has issued a scathing report on the sports sector’s sluggish response to the high rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries suffered by women footballers. Published on Tuesday, the report highlights the disparate and slow reaction to the health issue, pointing out that elite female players such as England’s Beth Mead and Leah Williamson, Dutch star Vivianne Miedema, and Canadian Janine Beckie missed the 2023 Women’s World Cup due to ACL injuries.
The committee’s report, titled “Health barriers for girls and women in sport,” underscores the absence of football boots specifically designed for women. It draws attention to evidence suggesting that football boots, in addition to their potential connection to ACL injuries, are causing broader problems for many female players.
“The sports science sector’s response to the ACL issue has been disparate and slow,” the report states. It emphasizes that a health issue of similar magnitude affecting elite male footballers would have garnered a faster, more thorough, and better-coordinated response.
The report calls for immediate action to increase the availability of female-specific equipment and kit in the sports sector. Additionally, the committee urges the Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Committee (DCMS) to establish a task force aimed at developing a long-term strategy to address the issue comprehensively.
A 2023 report from the European Club Association revealed that up to 82% of female players in Europe experience discomfort wearing boots. While sportswear brands claim to invest in women’s-fit styles, they argue that retailers can be hesitant to stock them due to a lack of awareness about the growing business opportunity.
The Women and Equalities Committee’s report serves as a wake-up call to the sports sector, highlighting the urgent need for a more concerted effort to address ACL injuries among women footballers and improve the availability of suitable equipment.
