Chelsea manager Emma Hayes wants football to increase awareness of impact of menstrual cycle on players' careers

As England's Euro 2022 campaign marches into the knockout stages — raising awareness and interest in women's football to all-time highs — Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has called on the sport to improve its understanding and handling of the impact of menstrual cycles on players' careers. Hayes, a five-time champion of the Women's Super League with Chelsea, has spoken previously about her own struggles with endometriosis and wants the game to improve its handling of these issues.

Ad/> Writing in the Telegraph, Hayes criticised the «alarming» lack of knowledge within the professional ranks of English football and has suggested many players may face significant physical issues, adding «without the right support, it can be hugely debilitating». TransfersCity and Arsenal agree £30m fee for Zinchenko transfer — reports4 HOURS AGO The point Hayes is making is that periods are not simply a discomfort to be dealt with, but a genuine issue that needs to be monitored and handled with the precision that other health concerns receive, explaining that for a player, «tightness in their hamstring is actually linked to phase four of their cycle rather than an injury».

She said that the associated «physical and mental factors can be really harmful and affect an athlete’s performance and participation». Fran Kirby reflects on «stunning strike» against Northern Ireland Euro 2022 permutations: Who needs what to join England in the next round? Hayes said «research in this area is still woefully lacking when compared to that in men, but the doesn’t mean we should just ignore it» and called for «1,000 per cent more research because it is about time sport took this far more seriously».