Squash player Vicky Botwright has been advised against wearing a thong at this year's British Open Championships in Birmingham.

The 16th seed, who revealed her choice of outfit at the championships, has had to abandon plans to wear her preferred choice of clothing - a sports bra and thong - on court.

Women's International Squash Players' Association (Wispa) rules stipulate the players must wear either a skirt or a dress - but does not mention underwear.

But squash officials believe the 23-year-old's revealing outfit would prove to be too much of a distraction for referees.

Speaking to Radio Five Live, Botwright said: "I approached Andrew Shelley, who is the chairperson of the Wispa, if us girls were allowed to wear skimpier clothing.



"Squash always seemed to be skirt and top or dress - it's quite boring really, we need to attract a wider audience

Vicky Botwright

"He saw the clothing and said 'not really', but he said he would put it to the board and see what they said. "The board had a meeting but they still came back and said 'no'." Botwright denied accusations of copying tennis pin-up Anna Kournikova, the Russian star who has made her name with her looks and racy outfits. But the Manchester-born squash player believed allowing more revealing clothing would inject a renewed enthusiasm for the sport. "Squash sometimes gets left behind the times," she added. "You look at other sports like athletics where they wear little bra tops and running knickers and you look at tennis and they are all trendy - they are becoming more revealing. "Squash always seemed to be skirt and top or dress - it's quite boring really, we need to attract a wider audience." And if wearing less is the way forward for squash to become a mainstream sport, then Botwright is in full support. "I don't think squash can complain about what anyone takes an interest in because we are a minority sport - any interest is good interest."



