There’s a vote tomorrow on whether to include women in DIGS football

Tomorrow Aberystwyth students will vote on whether women should be allowed to play DIGS football permanently following a trial week that saw both genders turn out on pitches together.

This is the first time in the league’s history where women have been allowed to play – despite the society having tried to open and set up a fully women’s DIGS league in previous few years.

Brian Dafydds, diversity officer in the DIGS league, told The Tab that while the rules omit whether girls can or can’t play there’s still hope for a women’s-only league to be created.

He said: “DIGS prides itself on its inclusiveness. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you study, where you come from or how good you are at football, there is a team for you here. But everyday that passes where there are no women playing, we have failed.”

Emily Owens and Annie Thomas cracking out the ball skills

“We wanted to divide it fairly, but right now it isn’t seperation, it’s exclusion. That’s why this move is so important. We may be making a small piece of history. That doesn’t matter. But we are making it fairer.”

While there is an Aber Woman’s University Team already, the desire for the DIGS social league to include woman is in part down to the national team’s successful World Cup in America.

Brian added: “It just felt important to capitalise on this and get women’s football going at the uni.”

The Abersytwyth Digs Football League is the largest 11-a-side intra-mural league in the UK, as well as being the largest society at Aberystwyth University.

That’s not a leg, that’s a cannon

Annie Thomas, first year international politics, played and scored for the Sex Panthers FC against FC Beaver earlier this week in a 9-5 victory.

She told us that “the guys were so supportive and welcoming – it was brilliant.

“I don’t think people went easy which was good, it was a different pace which was a good challenge just because we had to adapt the way we played.

“It’s a really good opportunity for us and another level we can play at, and more than anything it was just a load of fun. It [should] be allowed because there’s other leagues which are single-sex already in place for competition.”

Student Union president Lewis Donnelly fully endorses the proposal and is hoping for a “yes” vote:

For once the SU isn’t banning something?

But some remain sceptical of the prospective move, feeling the inclusion of girls in DIGS games might make players go easier on them and result in a weaker overall game.

Some clubs have come out arguing for a No vote – most notably FC Leave My Arcelona, who tweeted to say the league should not be opened up to women:

Club statement regarding recent @aberdigs developments to follow shortly. #VoteNo

— FC Leave My Arcelona (@FCLMA) January 21, 2016

If the proposal is rejected tomorrow sources suggest the games played this week with girls in the team would be scrapped and will have to be played again, meaning that despite girls having played and scored it could mean nothing.