In a hotly debated issue, Aston Villa’s women’s team is set to don their infamous sweat-heavy shirts for their Women’s Super League opener against Manchester United. This decision comes despite complaints from Villa’s male players that the shirts are distressing because they retain too much sweat, making them uncomfortable. Villa had hoped to resolve the issue with kit manufacturer Castore before Sunday, but BBC Sports understands that talks between the parties have reached a fragile state.
The new claret and blue home shirts, in particular, have evidently been troublesome and noticeably change colour during games as they retain moisture and cling tightly to the chest. In fact, earlier this week, football commentator Jacqui Oatley stated that Villa’s women’s team dreaded wearing the “clingy” shirts. According to The Telegraph, Villa and Castore are discussing an early termination of their multi-year contract, potentially only at the end of the season.
Women’s team manager Carla Ward acknowledged that her players had “similar concerns” about the shirts as the men’s team, but she remains focused on Sunday’s game, which will be live on BBC Two and will kick off at12:30 BST. Ward said, “It was highlighted early in our pre-season from the men’s side and backed up by the women’s side. As far as I’m concerned, it’s for the club and Castore to deal with.”
Castore has declined to comment to BBC Sports, but in a statement to The Daily Telegraph, founder and CEO Tom Beahon said that the brand was “working closely in collaboration with the club to address this issue as quickly as possible to meet the standards we expect.” Castore’s sportswear is also worn by other football clubs, including Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Rangers, as well as other top athletes, including Andy Murray
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