Pee Safe, Smriti Mandhana rally girls to stay in sport during periods

MUMBAI: A period should stop the clock, not the game. Marking Menstrual Hygiene Day, Pee Safe has teamed up with Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana to spotlight a challenge that often plays out far from the scoreboard: nearly 75% of girls in India gradually drop out of sports and physical activities due to menstruation-related discomfort, inadequate menstrual hygiene support and persistent social stigma. Through its #PlayInComfort initiative, the brand is seeking to tackle the barriers that continue to push many young girls away from playgrounds, courts and sports fields just as they enter adolescence.

For countless girls, puberty marks more than a physical transition, it often signals the beginning of reduced participation in sport. Concerns around leakage, discomfort during movement, limited access to reliable menstrual hygiene products and a lack of open conversations about periods frequently combine to erode confidence and restrict participation.

Pee Safe’s latest initiative aims to challenge that reality by normalising conversations around menstruation in sport and reinforcing the message that periods should never become a reason to sit on the sidelines.

With Smriti Mandhana lending her voice to the campaign, the effort seeks to bring greater visibility to menstrual health awareness and encourage young athletes to view periods as a natural part of life rather than a barrier to performance.

The campaign also draws attention to the growing need for accessible, dependable and comfortable menstrual hygiene solutions that enable girls to remain active throughout the month without compromising on confidence or comfort.

The issue extends beyond sport. Reduced participation in physical activity during adolescence can have long-term implications for health, confidence and opportunities, making menstrual support an increasingly important part of conversations around girls’ development and inclusion.

Pee Safe said its broader menstrual health efforts have included more than 370 awareness and hygiene sessions conducted across over 90 cities in India, aimed at making discussions around periods more informed, accessible and stigma-free.

As conversations around women’s sport continue to gain momentum, the campaign serves as a reminder that sometimes the biggest hurdles are not on the field, but the ones that quietly keep players from stepping onto it in the first place.