(Reuters) -Ireland's camogie players have won the right to wear shorts after the female sport's governing body voted overwhelmingly in favour of changing its rules at a special congress on Thursday, putting an end to the recent controversy and protests which hit the headlines.
The contested rule of camogie, the women's equivalent of hurling, stated that playing gear must include a skirt, skort or divided skirt, and the vote was taken after players' protests put pressure on the Camogie Association of Ireland to call a special congress.
"We are pleased to announce that delegates have voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of giving players greater choice in their playing attire," a Camogie Association statement said.
The new rule, passed with 98% of delegates in favour, will come into effect from midnight on Thursday, in time for the start of this year's All-Ireland championship on Saturday.
Two motions to introduce shorts were defeated at last year's Congress but the issue came to the fore again in the past few weeks when the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) published the results of a survey showing 83% of players wanted the choice to wear shorts.
"The GPA would like to put on the record our admiration for camogie players across Ireland and beyond, both at inter-county and club level, who made their voices heard to ensure this outcome," the GPA said in a statement.
One provincial final went ahead after players were told to change into skorts after taking to the field in shorts in protest, but another was postponed when Cork and Waterford said they would also protest but would not be changing into skorts.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
