GIRLS ALLOWED
After darts and F1 axe glamour women, Crystal Palace tell cheerleaders it’s...
CRYSTAL PALACE will stand by their cheerleaders ‘The Crystals’ despite moves by Formula One and the Professional Darts Corporation to end the use of ‘grid girls’ and ‘walk-on girls’.
The Crystals, a glamorous dance troupe of young women aged between 21 and 28, perform before Palace games at Selhurst Park.
Formula One managing director Sean Bratches said this week that the perceived objectification of grid girls no longer fits with the sport’s ‘brand values’ and is at odds with ‘modernday societal norms’.
However, Palace have committed to the cheerleaders, who have performed for seven years at Selhurst Park and have even produced their own music videos. Palace insist that the troupe choose their own immodest dance costumes and say the club have never received a single complaint about the practice.
The club also praised the troupe for their commitment to fundraising events, often in a voluntary capacity, and attendance at the club’s charity parties.
Meanwhile, Palace winger Bakary Sako will miss the rest of the season after fracturing an ankle in Palace’s 1-1 draw at West Ham on Tuesday.
‘Bakary’s injury is a very serious one,’ said Palace boss Roy Hodgson, who has just 19 players for tomorrow’s clash with Newcastle. ‘He’s fractured his ankle and damaged ligaments. He certainly won’t play again this season. Our injury situation is unusual.
‘A lot of clubs can get a number of muscle injuries, but we’re in a situation where we’ve lost five for the season.’