French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli has said that Serena Williams is banned from wearing a bodysuit at future French Open tournaments.
In a recent interview with Tennis Magazine, Giudicelli stated: "We are going to ask the manufacturers to let us know what is coming. I believe we have sometimes gone too far. Serena’s outfit this year, for example, would no longer be accepted. You have to respect the game and the place."
Serena made headlines with a powerful Black Panther bodysuit as she returned to court after welcoming her first child
Serena described her attire as "fun and functional". She revealed how it helped her prevent blood clots that put her life in danger after giving birth. She even took to Instagram to dedicate the look to "all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy".
Williams's sporting attire isn't merely a fashion statement. After giving birth to her first child, doctors discovered a haematoma (a swelling of clotted blood outside of a vessel) in her abdomen. The skin-tight bodysuit is designed specifically for the purpose of preventing future life-threatening blood clots.
Isn't comfort on court more important than following tradition?
Why are sporting attires even a discussion today? A sportsperson, regardless of gender, should be able to wear whatever suits one best in order to perform well. Taking Serena's situation, for example, isn't it humanely possible for the Federation to consider her reasons valid enough for sporting the suit?
Everyone will agree that playing honestly and performing remarkably well is the biggest form of respect a player can offer to the sport. What has an attire got to do with the respect?
Twitterati criticise French Tennis Federation
The ban, unsurprisingly, sparked a debate on social media with users calling out The French Tennis Federation for sexism.
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