Source: EYEPRESS Images /F.L Wong
[Saba Sports News] According to British media, English women’s singles star Kirsty Gilmour was penalized with a yellow card during her match against An Se-young at this year’s All England Badminton Championships due to needing to use the restroom during her period, which exceeded the allowed time. Gilmour expressed dissatisfaction, stating that there is no specific provision for period-related situations in the current BWF rules, leaving it to the discretion of the referee. She called for more inclusive rules from the BWF. According to BWF regulations, players are not allowed to leave the court without the referee’s permission during a match, with a 2-minute break between games. Additionally, a player who receives three yellow cards in a year will be fined $500. Post-match, the BWF Secretary General conducted crisis management and rescinded the penalty, stating that the referee had applied the rules inappropriately, and announced the establishment of an educational program to help players, coaches, and referees understand the impact of periods.