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‘The kit should be the last thing players think about’

Former Aston Villa midfielder Anita Asante on how Villa’s clingy shirts would affect the women’s players.

Former Aston Villa midfielder Anita Asante discusses how Villa’s clingy shirts would affect the women’s players.

Speaking to Sportworld’s Lee James, Asante said: “There’s a different implication for women because of aesthetics and how women’s feel in terms of their bodies and sexism and misogyny and all these things.
“They do not want to be exposed to a scenario that will make them feel uncomfortable and able to focus on the game at hand itself and be pre-occupied on other issues related to kit. It should be the last thing players should have to think about.â€

Villa's male players have criticised the shirts, saying they are uncomfortable because they are retaining too much sweat.

The new claret and blue home shirts are the worst affected, noticeably changing colour in games as they retain moisture and cling tightly to the chest.

Kit manufacturer Castore have not commented to Â鶹ÊÓƵAV Sport but told The Daily Telegraph: "There has been some media speculation about a potential issue in the football kit supplied by Castore to Aston Villa Football Club.

"We are working closely in collaboration with the club to address this issue as quickly as possible to meet the standards we expect. We would like to thank the club for their patience and support to date.

"As a proud new British brand, we always hold ourselves to the highest of standards and strive to do everything we can to constantly improve the performance of our products. This means addressing any customer concerns with promptness and humility."

Photo: Calum Chambers of Aston Villa seen in action during the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Legia Warszawa and Aston Villa at Marshal Jozef Pilsudski Legia Warsaw Municipal Stadium. (Credit: LightRocket via Getty Images)

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2 minutes