sport news AFL great blasts new rule that BANS skinfolds because it fat shames young ... trends now
AFL greats and recruitment managers have blast the league for its decision to ban skinfold testing aspiring players in a bid to avoid body shaming them.
Clubs will no longer be able to carry out the test, that measures the percentage of body fat and muscle composition, on incoming draft prospects.
Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson said the AFL sent a memo to all clubs last week informing them of the decision.
'Body Composition assessments (excluding height and weight) will not be conducted in any Talent Pathways programs or on any athletes that are eligible to compete in the Pathways programs,' the memo from Dr Kate Hall and Grant Williams read.
'Body weights will only be measured by qualified High Performance/Sport Scientists, Sports Dietitians, or Medical Practitioners, in a safe and private setting. All data collected must be kept private.'
Wilson added on Nine's Footy Classified: 'And for the women players, they don't have to be weighed at all unless they put their hand up.
'But the end of skinfolds did raise the eyebrow of some clubs who think there are some reasons you do skinfolds other than body-shaming players about their weight.'
The skinfold is one of the oldest tests used in sport to determine body fat and muscle composition
The skinfold is just one of many tests aspiring AFL players undertake, like the 2km time trial during the 2022 Western Australia AFL Draft Combine
Players are tested for endurance, strength, agility and a range of other factors so AFL clubs can determine which young players to target in the draft
The decision comes after the AFL also banned the publication of player weights in yearly guides for privacy and mental health reasons.
While that decision has been widely accepted, former AFL players and recruitment managers have been left furious over the banning of the skinfold tests.
'This is just ridiculous, what are we setting these players up for?' Cornes asked on SEN.
'They walk into an AFL club, they are going to have their skinfolds tested, so I would have thought getting
