New initiative to subsidise sports bras is “crucial” for women’s sports

The female boxer, Francesca Hennessy, has labelled a new initiative to subsidise sports bras as “crucial” for the progression of women’s sport.

The petition, organised by the UK-based charity Women In Sport, and the international activewear brand Stronger, calls for the UK Government to subsidise sports bras for secondary school girls from low-income families.

It comes off the back of a study that found only a third of secondary school girls wear a sports bra for PE, despite them being essential for breast health.

“Sports bras are crucial for all sports, it makes you feel uncomfortable if you don’t have one,” said Hennessy. “It limits you, you can’t do your sport to your full potential.”

The petition calls for sports bras to be included on school uniform kit lists and for the government to help fund kit for girls who might not be able to afford it.

Hennessy said the initiative is integral in getting young girls to take part in and enjoy sport. “It's such a small bit of kit but it makes a big difference,” she explained. “Sports bras are such an essential part of kit and they should be on all girls’ kit lists, no question. Without better access and education around sports bras, we could be jeopardising girls’ sporting careers.”

Sports bras provide support and comfort during sports and PE classes where high impact activity takes place. Breasts are composed of sensitive tissue only supported by skin and ligaments, explained Jessie Jones, a personal trainer and nutrition coach.

“When your bust is inadequately supported, excessive movement can cause damage that may be difficult to repair,” Jones said.

Despite growing numbers of women participating in sport there are still 1.5 million fewer women than men who take part in sport once a month, with disengagement arising at a young age.

One Women in Sport study found that 88 per cent of girls who used to love sports in primary school are no longer engaged because of a lack of self-belief, low confidence, and feeling judged.

For many young girls, puberty is a time where their bodies become a source of anxiety. Francesca Hennessy described how she began to feel a lot more self-conscious as a young girl playing sport once she started developing breasts.

“When I was younger I used to play netball and when I was playing I started noticing them moving about a lot more. I became quite self-conscious about whether people were looking at me and I felt a bit more on edge,” said Hennessy.

Without being in a position where she could afford a sports bra, Hennessy believes that getting to the current stage of her boxing career would have been “a hell of a lot harder.”

“If I didn’t have the right kit, I wouldn’t have fulfilled my full potential,” she added.

The government has left this issue unaddressed for years, with a 2016 study showing that 46 per cent of girls said their breasts had an effect on their participation in exercise. While there are charities such as Bras for Girls which have funded 35,000 sports bras for aspiring sports women, this petition holds the government to account and asks them to make a lasting impact in the progression of women’s sports from grassroots to professional level.

“Girls in the UK already have so many societal and systematic barriers to sports […] so the lack of proper instruction by schools and availability of access to essential kit like sports bras is very sad,” said Annica Rantala, CEO at Stronger.

“Our hope is that the Government will strongly consider supporting families that struggle to afford the right kit for their girls to make school sports the source of positive mental and physical wellbeing that it should be.”