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February 24, 2023
According to a survey commissioned by the Swedish Football Association (SFA), almost 50% of players and coaches believe that menstruation is a difficult thing to talk about. In response, SFA and its main sponsor Svenska Spel have kicked off its All Days initiative, which intends to break the taboo on menstruation and get more girls to stay in football during puberty by increasing knowledge and understanding of the subject.
A global survey produced by PUMA and leak-proof apparel company Modibodi shows that 1 in 2 teens are skipping sport because of their period as a result of embarrassment, pain or fear of leaks. Understanding the challenges faced by girls and teens on their period is the initiative’s ambassador and Swedish footballer, Caroline Seger who shared her own experiences.
“Menstruation should never be an obstacle to playing football. I know for myself how I stood there on the field, uncomfortable about wearing white shorts. Or how you skipped a workout just because you had your period. There is a huge need to increase knowledge and awareness of women’s health and how we can best adapt training and other match preparation activities,” she said.
Menstruation cycles are sensitive and are heavily affected by levels of physical activity. For instance, a global study by FitrWoman and Strava shows that 79% of women say moderate physical activity reduced menstrual-related symptoms like fatigue, pain, headaches etc.
A central part of All Days is to educate soccer associations about menstruation and women’s health, inclusive of recommended training times and lengths. In the next few months, four selected pilot associations: BK Forward from Örebro, Valinge Derome DFF from Halland, Kroppefjälls IF from Dalsland and Umeå IK from Västerbotten will work closely with the SFA and research coordinators to learn how to best adapt and optimize training to players’ menstrual cycles. As part of this, associations will also receive menstruation kits for their team and period protection dispensers for their changing rooms. Following the pilots, the SFA will roll out national training for coaches and players of different ages.
All Days is part of the SFA’s ongoing mission to increase gender equality in Swedish football. “We want football to be accessible to everyone,” said Per Widén, Head of Education and Development at the SFA. “Association football is the biggest in Sweden and therefore we must take our responsibility to increase gender equality in Swedish football and ensure that more young girls continue in football even when they get their periods. The goal is for as many people as possible to play for as long as possible, and in as good an environment as possible.”
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