Rugby is bad for women's wellbeing according to one Fianna Fail senator.
Terry Leyden told the Seanad last week he doesn't mean to be discriminatory but he thinks "there are certain games more suited to women."
“Funnily enough, I am not a great advocate of women's rugby,” he said. “I am not over enthusiastic about it from a health point of view.”
“I would not totally encourage women to play rugby – but the jury is out in that particular regard.
“Rugby is a very physical game. I think there are certain games more suited to women, and I do not mean to be discriminatory.
“I mean it from the point of view of the future health of women rugby players.”
Senator Leyden admitted he is not a medical expert but suggested other games like soccer and Gaelic football are “much different” from a health perspective.
He said he read "somewhere" that the game is not recommended for young female players.
When pressed on the issue by The Sunday Times newspaper, he said it was “on Google.”
He insisted he had no objection to women playing the sport in principle, adding that his objection came purely from a health point of view.
