Female Squash Players Given Vibrators, Wax As Prizes

The winners of a recent squash tournament in Spain, have filed a discrimination grievance after being handed vibrators as a prize.

The four highest scoring players in this year’s Asturias Squash Championship were each handed a gift bag for placing in the tournament. But at least one of the items raised their hackles.

Elisabet Sado Garriga, who won first place, and Olaya Fernandez Lence, Marina Arraiza Mier, and Cristina Barandica Fernandez — winners of second through fourth place respectively — were given a prize bag containing a waxing set, a foot care device, and a Durex device labeled the “Pure Fantasy” vibrator.

According to the Sun, the vibrator is sold as an “elegant personal stimulator designed to give you sensual pleasure.”

The four winners immediately filed a complaint with Spain’s squash federation accusing the tournament of sexism and discrimination.

The club that hosted the tournament apologized for the faux pas saying it “felt aggrieved ” over the incident but insisted, “At no moment was it done from a sexist standpoint.”

The Royal Spanish Squash Federation referred the women’s complaint to be investigated by the Asturian Institute of Women and also decided to cancel any other tournaments for the rest of the year.

Three officials have also resigned, reports say.

Maribel Toyos, a spokesperson for the squash federation, said that they were only responsible for the trophies and the prize bags were arranged by the club that put on the event.

Toyos also slammed the organizers saying, ‘It’s the height of sexism. We had no idea the women were going to receive these gifts. It makes no sense for the club to apologize but at the same time, say the gifts are not sexist.”

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.