Badminton player Kirsty Gilmour has called for a rule change after she was penalised for leaving the court to deal with her period at the YONEX All England Open.
The Bellshill shuttler remonstrated with officials after levelling her second-round match with world no.1 An Se Young, with bathroom breaks having to be sanctioned by the umpire in badminton.
Gilmour was shown a yellow card on her return for delaying play, which is an official warning but did not affect the score, and the Scot went on to lose the encounter 21-12 16-21 21-8.
“I’ve found myself inadvertently the spokesperson against trolling in the past and now I’m going to be the unofficial spokesperson for getting your period on court,” the 31-year-old said.
“I would deem that a medical emergency, not to get graphic, but there is blood involved and to receive a yellow card for that I think we need to rethink those rules.
“There is nothing I can do. Thank God I am wearing blue shorts right now, that is all I can say.
“It’s not physically what is happening but more resetting after. I don’t like to break rules or put anyone out, but to have to reset after being essentially disciplined is tough for me and I gave it my best shot.”
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Gilmour won a game against An Se Young for only the second time in seven meetings between the two women’s singles players.
But with the momentum on her side heading into the third game, the Scot was unable to fully refocus and saw the chance of a famous victory slip from her grasp.
She added: “I wasn’t told I would be disciplined before, but I was yellow carded for delaying play essentially.
“I don’t know what they want from me. Sorry to be graphic about it again but I would have bled on the court if they didn’t let me go, so what the hell am I supposed to do?
“I think there needs to be a rethink of that rule, I know it is hard to understand when people are taking the mick and when they are being genuine.
“But I wouldn’t have chosen to take a trip to the loo when I am 1-1 against An Se Young at the All England, I think we could gauge that wasn’t me being a chancer.”
Gilmour’s defeat to the top seed ended Scottish involvement in Birmingham after Julie MacPherson and Alexander Dunn tasted defeat in the mixed doubles.
Also up against the no.1 pairing, in the form of Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie of Malaysia, the duo struggled to get a foothold in the game and were eventually beaten 21-9 21-10.
Dunn said: “They blew us away a little bit with their serve return. It felt like at the start of the rally we were up against it below the tape.
“We tried to do different things, but their quality didn’t lower at all, ours obviously wasn’t at the level it needs to be to be competing against the top seeds at the All England so I think we felt their presence and pressure today.”
Despite the defeats, three Scottish representatives in the second round marks Scotland’s best performance at the YONEX All England for well over two decades.
With Gilmour already on her soapbox, she used the historic occasion to call for more funding for the sport in Scotland.
She said: “We’re absolutely smashing it and we are doing so so well for such little money and I would like to see that change.
“I don’t want to be a billionaire or even a millionaire, but I think I would love for Badminton Scotland to not struggle anymore.
“We are doing so well but I would love for us to not struggle as an organisation.”
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