Reforming breast protection: Boob Armour’s Suzie Betts on female safety in sport

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Katrina Gorry
Image credit: Rachel Bach/By The White Line

Boob Armour is a revolutionary Australian business dedicated to women’s safety and empowerment that has emerged as a beacon of hope in the field of breast protection.

Founded by Suzie Betts with a mission to support and educate females, Boob Armour is not just another company – it is a movement that embraces strength, resilience and empowerment.

Boob Armour has changed the way female’s approach safety during physical activities and sports. With their cutting-edge products and commitment to education, they are making a significant impact on female’s lives.

The inception of Boob Armour was inspired by the personal journey of Suzie finding lumps in her breast due to trauma she faced in her younger years that left her feeling vulnerable and unsupported. Determined to find a solution, she embarked on a mission to design innovative breast protection that would ensure both comfort and safety and create a positive change.

At the heart of Boob Armour’s mission is empowerment. By providing specialised breast protection, Boob Armour enables females to participate in physical activities with confidence and without the fear of injury.

Their products are designed with the utmost care, prioritising both functionality and style, ensuring that females feel comfortable and empowered while wearing them.

Through workshops, online resources, and collaborations with medical professionals, Boob Armour ensures that females have access to the latest information and expert advice on breast injury prevention.

Boob Armour’s dedication to education goes beyond individuals; they also collaborate with schools and sports organisations to implement breast injury prevention programs.

In an exclusive chat with Soccerscene, Suzie Betts shared some insights about the beginnings of the company, their involvement with the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the impact Boob Armour will have in the future of female sports.

Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the creation of Boob Armour and how your personal health scare played a role in its development?

Suzie Betts: The inspiration from Boob Armour was obviously from a trauma that I received and presented itself later in life.

Having two daughters who played contact and impact sports, it became my mission to make sure that they, for one, were protected from any type of impact injury. It then progressed from there, as I became more and more aware of the research regarding breast trauma and it became my mission to protect all females playing sports right from grassroots to elite.

Young girls can experience a trauma that obviously hurts at the time, but also may present itself later in life with lumps that can be mistaken for breast cancer cells. We are wanting to create the habit of protection as soon as the girls start playing sports. So, they pack their bag for soccer, they pack their shin guards, their mouth guard, and they pack their Boob Armour – they’re creating that habit.

Breast health is a significant concern for women. How does Boob Armour promote breast health and what measures do you take as a brand to promote this?

Suzie Betts: We are a breast health platform focused on opening up conversations about breast health, impact, and injury. We aim to address the unreported nature of breast injuries and promote discussions to make it a comfortable topic, similar to discussing injuries to other body parts. Professional athletes like Katrina Gorry from the Matildas support our cause and have worn our inserts to protect their milk supply while breastfeeding. Many other elite athletes in sports such as basketball, netball, Aussie rules football, and more are also recognising the importance of breast protection.

Can you explain how the design and materials of Boob Armour provide comprehensive protection and support to female players during the Women’s FIFA World Cup?

Suzie Betts: Our product ensures a snug and comfortable fit for females with different breast sizes and shapes. It easily slips into their favourite crop top or sports bra, making it comfortable and easy to wear. The inserts are lightweight (15g each), thin (2mm), and breathable. We offer a range of sizes, and our website features a Fit Calculator to help find the perfect size. Made of polyethylene, our inserts absorb impact effectively, providing the best barrier between impact and the breast.

Well-fitted sports bras with proper breast protection, Boob Armour, helps ensure physical comfort, minimise the risk of breast-related injuries, and enhance body confidence. By providing the necessary support and safety, breast protection allows female players to focus on their performance with greater peace of mind, contributing to their overall well-being and self-assurance on the field during the Women’s FIFA World Cup.

In what ways does Boob Armour contribute to the emotional well-being and self-confidence of female athletes competing in the Women’s FIFA World Cup?

Suzie Betts: There still needs to be more education on the long-term effects so that females are aware of what an elbow to the breast in a soccer game really does. 

We now have medical evidence that a trauma can affect a woman’s breast feeding capabilities.  This is an emotional & stressful time for a new mother and if this can be avoided with adequate protection, it should be.

In soccer, player safety should be paramount and that includes recognising the sensitivity and vulnerability of the breast area.  An elbow to the breast should be recognised as a “strike attempt” just like any other contact that can cause pain and potential injury and therefore penalised.

If breast protection was mandated like shin guards & mouthguards that would empower current and future generations of female soccer players, sending a powerful message about inclusivity and the importance of respecting the female body in the game.

What are your plans for Boob Armour? Are there any new developments or improvements on the horizon?

Suzie Betts: As our global expansion continues, we are thrilled to see a surge in athletes from different regions, all recognising the crucial role of breast protection. The United Kingdom, Europe, and the USA have shown immense interest across a wide range of sports. Moreover, we have made strides in partnering with major teams, leagues, and colleges to integrate our innovative PPE strategy into their progression models. Our influence reaches even further, collaborating with Gaelic Sports teams in Ireland and making an impact in countries like India, where cricket and hockey enjoy immense popularity.

Together, we are championing the cause of safety and empowerment in sports.

For more information regarding Boob Armour and the impact they are having in the education of breast injuries visit: https://www.boobarmour.com.au/about-us/

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Mizuno’s Australian gamble: can a 120-year-old brand break through?

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Image Credit: Mizuno

When Mizuno unveiled a mural of Socceroos captain Harry Souttar on a Richmond wall during the 2026 World Cup, the company’s name did not appear on the artwork. The artist, Rory Ledge, painted Souttar as the “Minister of Defence” behind a brick wall. Channel 7 and Channel 9 turned up. The Herald Sun ran it in their Saturday edition. Mizuno’s brand director called it “mainstream awareness” without paid media.

The mural sat within a broader push by the Osaka-based company to expand in Oceania. For the fiscal year ending March 2026, Mizuno reported sales of ¥259 billion, up 7.8 per cent year-on-year, with net income of ¥18.4 billion representing 20.5 per cent growth . Operating profit rose to ¥22.6 billion. The Asia and Oceania segment is central to the company’s medium-term plan, which targets net sales of ¥290 billion by fiscal 2027.

The growth imperative

Australian football has not historically been kind to specialist boot brands. Nike, Adidas and Puma dominate retail shelves. A-Leagues collective bargaining agreements and club deals have locked in incumbents. For a brand without the marketing budgets of its competitors, the path to relevance runs through the players.

Mizuno has grown its Australian ambassador base from one athlete to around 20 across the A-Leagues in recent seasons. Melbourne City’s Tolgay Arslan, who played in the Bundesliga and Serie A before arriving in Australia, told Front Page Football: “If I discovered these boots ten years ago, I would wear these boots overseas in my career.” Western United midfielder Angus Thurgate called them “the comfiest boots I’ve ever worn”.

The mural moment

Richmond was chosen for the mural because of its location. The suburb sits at the centre of Melbourne’s sporting precinct, five minutes’ walk from the MCG and AAMI Park. It is already home to murals of AFL players. Rowena Corner Store owner Con, who agreed to host the artwork, had previously welcomed murals of Dusty Martin and an AFLW player.

“We didn’t have access to Harry because he was in the US competing,” brand director Rishi said. “We couldn’t do a photoshoot. So we had to be clever. The best ideas come from real time, aligned with what the public discourse looks like. Once we saw his Wikipedia page updated to refer to him as the Minister of Defence, we knew we could play into this.”

Ledge incorporated an existing window into the design to create a net behind Souttar’s figure. The mural appeared the morning of the Paraguay match, when Australia’s clean sheet sent them into the knockout phase.

The World Cup provided a massive backdrop. The Socceroos’ run captivated the nation: 4.84 million Australians tuned in to the Paraguay match, making it the most-watched World Cup match in SBS history at the time, with an average audience of 3.086 million . The final reached 5.26 million viewers, and cumulative tournament reach hit 18.04 million— 64 per cent of Australia’s population. SBS director of sport Ken Shipp said: “We’ve never seen engagement at this level.” Mizuno spent comparatively little and had Channel 7 and Channel 9 on site.

The commercial question

For a brand with limited marketing firepower, organic PR coverage is the prize. The question for the company’s Oceania division, still in growth mode, is whether a mural and a handful of player endorsements can convert into sustained commercial traction. Retail partnerships with Ultra Football, which has created a dedicated Mizuno space at its Melbourne store, suggest the company is thinking beyond campaigns.

Mizuno’s European expansion has taken a different path. The company signed a five-year deal to become AS Monaco’s technical equipment partner from the 2025-26 season, its first entry into Ligue 1. It already has a presence in Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A. In Australia, institutional partnerships are harder to secure. The approach has been slower: build through athletes, then through community, then through culture.

The Queensland government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mizuno in March 2026 to explore the Japan-Australia Sports & Health Innovation Exchange (JASHIE), a two-year partnership focused on sport and health innovation . The agreement supports Queensland’s preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The mural campaign reflected a broader trend in sporting brand marketing, where IP restrictions and athlete availability increasingly demand creative solutions. “I love what Levi’s did because they were able to lean into their brand codes and tell what I believe to be the most memorable advertising story from the World Cup,” Rishi said. “This is a different page out of fundamentally the same playbook.”

Mizuno’s boots are not cheap. The Made-in-Japan models retail well above competitors’ offerings. The brand’s pitch rests on quality and heritage, not price or volume. That is a harder sell in a country where discounting dominates and cost-of-living pressures are squeezing households.

The Souttar mural will eventually fade or be painted over. Mizuno is betting that by the time it does, enough Australian football fans will have noticed the three stripes’ quieter rival.

Governance, guidelines and game integrity: Did the 2026 FIFA World Cup uphold all three?

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Image Credit: AHCPF/Shutterstock.com

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is now over. Aside from the action and drama on the pitch, it is how FIFA performed off it which will dictate its lasting legacy.

 

Money talks

Projections for this year’s tournament placed total revenue at an eye-watering figure of AUD 16 billion (USD 11 billion); in the end, the number reached AUD 21 billion (USD 15 billion).

The newly-introduced hydration breaks – much bemoaned by fans accustomed to a more traditional 45 minute half – generated further income. Fox Sports was expected to earn more than AUD 356 million (USD 250 million) from these breaks alone, taking global revenue upwards of AUD 1.4 billion (USD 1 billion).

Four minutes and 20 seconds per match, worth more than 1 billion dollars. For FIFA, therefore, time truly is money.

As the most profitable World Cup in history, it also raises further questions (and potential ideas) for how to continue the success. FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, is already considering ways to “unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that FIFA has” going forward.

“I think I can say that this FIFA World Cup here in particular has opened a lot of doors, a lot of opportunities, a lot of possibilities,” Infantino said.

“This will have an impact on what we can do all over the world, but the revenues and the financial economic success come only if the sporting side is right.”

Expanded participation – marking the first time a World Cup features 48 teams compared to the previous 32 – was a major factor in increasing revenue. More teams, more games, more sponsorship and advertising opportunities.

“There are discussions about whether we should increase more (from 48) to 64 (teams), but this will be debated and this will be discussed,” Infantino affirmed.

More revenue for FIFA should also mean its 211 Member Associations also benefit from further investment, although details regarding this remain unknown.

Record-breaking attendance

Going into the tournament, the issue surrounding ticket prices was widespread. Many fans accused the governing body of pricing fans out of the game they love – and the numbers justified it.

While tickets opened at AUD 85 (USD 60), the dynamic pricing led to resales worth tens of thousands of dollars. For the final between Spain and Argentina, fans seeking last-minute tickets needed closer to AUD 3 million (USD 2 million).

But despite the criticism aimed at the dynamic pricing system, FIFA’s resolve paid off. Attendances smashed previous records, with total attendance double the figure seen in Qatar 2022.

FIFA reported that 6,810,966 fans packed into stadiums across the 104 matches, reaching an average crowd of 65,490. With higher attendances also comes more revenue generated from hospitality within the stadium itself.

Clearly, the price of a ticket to the world’s biggest sporting tournament does not affect demand. If FIFA sets the price, people will pay.

Or rather, people who can afford these prices will.

 

Red card, rescinded

As USA and Bosnia & Herzegovina went toe-to-toe in their round-of-32 clash, few could have known the drama would continue far beyond the referee’s whistle after 90 minutes.

A red card for star-striker, Folarin Balogun, in the 64th minute prompted concerns among US fans not only for the remaining half-an-hour of play, but for the following round of the tournament: as per FIFA rules, a player who receives a red card automatically misses the subsequent match.

This was the case for Balogun, until external pressure entered the field. And for football’s global governing body, external pressure arrived in the form of the President of the United States of America.

The legality over the rescinded red card is irrelevant to the wider issue. People will dispute the various articles outlined in the FIFA Disciplinary Code, but the incident itself sets a problematic precedent for football’s global governing body: if FIFA compromises its rules and political neutrality for one nation, where does it draw the line in future tournaments?

The tournament’s integrity had already come under pressure before a match had kicked-off, following the first ever FIFA Peace Prize awarded to President Trump in December 2025. The rescinded red card ultimately added fuel to the fire.

 

A game of two halves

The FIFA World Cup 2026 was as entertaining on the pitch as it was controversial off it.

It featured some incredible individual performances from stars like Mbappe and Kane, as well as Cabo Verde’s Vozinha – the 40 year-old overnight sensation who became a tournament icon.

308 goals were scored, surpassing with flying colours the previous record of 172 in 2022. A goal-per-game ratio fo 2.96 was the highest in recorded history since 1970.

Celebrations like Norway’s ‘Viking Row’ took the world by storm, and several brands including Levi’s, Gillette and Under Armour (the latter being the tournament-winning boot sponsorship) enjoyed huge public attention online for their unique marketing approaches.

These are the stories which represent the World Cup at its very best and the side of football fans want to see: action-packed matches, world-class talent, inspirational underdog stories and moments which generate discussions between fans from all over the world.

Beyond the pitch, however, memories of this year’s tournament will be comprised of financial success marred by a failure to govern and uphold the game’s integrity throughout.

It is a disappointing contradiction, that the cost of the most entertaining and economically successful World Cup in history, is the growing concern whether we can believe in those delivering the game to us at all.

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