Scotland has become the first country in the world to introduce a formal menstrual break policy in karate competition, in a move expected to influence governing bodies across world sport.

The Scottish Karate Governing Body (SKGB) has approved a new rule allowing athletes, officials and coaches who menstruate to request dedicated menstrual-related breaks during competition. The policy provides competitors with up to 10 minutes to change their karate gi if menstrual blood becomes visible during or between bouts.

Under previous World Karate Federation (WKF) regulations, athletes were typically given two minutes to change a blood-stained gi – a rule designed for injuries rather than menstruation. The new Scottish policy formally recognises that menstrual bleeding is not comparable to an injury and may require more time to manage safely and with dignity.

The policy was developed by Dr Chloe Maclean, Director of Women and Girls’ Interests at Karate Scotland and Lecturer in Sociology at the University of the West of Scotland. Menstruating officials and coaches will also be entitled to breaks, with regular 3–4 hour rotations recommended to reduce the likelihood of emergency requests.

 

Menstruation affects a significant proportion of athletes, yet most sports policies still treat menstrual bleeding as either invisible or as a disciplinary issue when it becomes visible. We believe this is the first policy globally to explicitly recognise menstruation within competition rules and to make practical provision for it. Our aim is to support full participation and remove the stigma that still surrounds menstrual health in sport.

Dr Chloe Maclean, Director of Women and Girls’ Interests at Karate Scotland and Lecturer in Sociology at UWS

 

It is hoped that this new policy will attract interest from other sports where white or light-coloured kits are standard, including tennis, cricket and athletics. In recent years, several female tennis players have publicly voiced concerns over wearing white during menstruation, yet no comparable competition-level policy currently exists in global tennis or other major sports.

In 2023, female players at Wimbledon were able to wear coloured shorts and underwear for the first time and at the Women’s World Cup in the same year, several national teams, including England, switched their traditional white shorts for darker options. While these changes have been widely welcomed, they are still only optional with some legal experts arguing that genuine accommodation of menstruation is not just good practice but a requirement under the Equality Act 2010. 

 

As a governing body we have a responsibility to ensure our sport is inclusive and responsive to the realities faced by athletes. This world-first policy shows Scotland is leading the way in recognising menstrual health as a core part of athlete welfare. We hope it encourages other sports to follow suit.

Paul Giannandrea, Chair of Karate Scotland

 

The SKGB will apply the policy across all authorised competitions in Scotland, including kumite and kata events.

It is hoped that this change will not only normalise discussion of menstrual health but also ensure athletes are not penalised or embarrassed during high-pressure competitions.