Focus: Women in football

Kicker: Progress

Headline: Women’s football headed in the right direction

The ongoing Fifa Women’s World Cup 2015 is a true testament to the rise of women’s football across the world. I believe the success of the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada, despite the differences between the different groups is an evidence of how the sport has evolved in various corners of the globe.

The 2015 edition of the game has showcased many of the technical skills female football players possess and the high level of performance of the players of different teams. This confirms a qualitative shift that has occurred in women’s football and the next editions promise a lot of excitement and fun.

The UAE Women’s Football Committee is striving to reach the top ranks of football and working hard to host one of the next editions of the Women’s World Cup in the future. The men’s UAE national team is currently ranked 73rd globally, first in the Gulf, second in the Arab world, and 14th in Asia.

Regarding the establishment of the games on artificial turf for the 2015 edition, I hope this does not become a very big problem, knowing the extent of the negative impact it can have on the players. But recently, women’s football has seen a lot of progress; it has definitely begun to evolve. In the coming years, all the necessary facilities required to serve the game will soon be available. I have complete confidence in the sport established by Fifa, specifically regarding these issues.

From Ms Amal Bu Shlakh

Board member of the Federation of the UAE Football Association Management

Kicker: Sexism

Headline: No way will Fifa ask male players to play on artifical turf

I love watching sports, I am an insomniac and so whatever sport is on, I don’t mind watching it. Having said that, I haven’t or won’t keep an alarm to watch a woman’s World Cup football game.

Don’t get me wrong, I will happily watch women’s hockey or tennis, but football, unfortunately, is not something I will follow religiously. So, I guess I am partly responsible for the game not being promoted, because I am sure others like me aren’t supporting it as much as it should be supported.

I think it is because most people are just not aware that there is a women’s World Cup going on.

I would have watched it if I was more aware of the games and the teams and the papers covered the event and made it interesting.

As for the women playing on artificial turn, this is rubbish. You think Fifa could convince the men to play on artificial turf? Of course, not! It’s just not right to expect players to play on artificial turf. It is wrong at every level and you are clearly sending a signal to people that we discriminate.

From Mr Hitshu Bachani

Former first class cricketer and professional cricket coach

Kicker: Physicality

Headline: Women cannot escape the demand to look ‘feminine’

While watching the US footall team in the 2015 Fifa Women’s World cup, I could not stop myself from reflecting on the condition of women’s soccer on the world stage. After sharing my excitement about the start of the women’s football world cup on Facebook, I realised I was rather alone in my excitement. There is a clear lack of conversation and excitement surrounding female football as compared to male football.

Why am I not seeing the same for the FIFA Women’s World Cup? Why are we not talking about it? Why are we not as excited? Why don’t we have soccer watch parties for women’s soccer? And don’t have raging Facebook statuses about the wins and losses? When talking to my 16-year-old brother, he said now the US women’s team will be talked about because they won and that says something - that even a young boy knows that we need to win to be talked about!

There is also huge gap in viewership of the games.

Considering the popularity of female athletes belonging to other sports, I wonder if it takes something more than just athletic deftness to be noticed – perhaps physicality? I wonder if our society more easily pushes a girl to become the next sexualised image on a billboard rather than a sweaty girl kicking around a soccer ball on the field? There seems to be an increased popularity of those female athletes that indulge in an outwardly show of their physicality.

Wanting a louder representation on the world stage for women’s football is not the only purpose of this debate. A necessary question that we need to ask ourselves is: Are we supporting the physical appearance of a female athlete or her athletic capabilities? And in doing so, what is the message we are extending to our young girls? In the interest of acquiring a fair representation for all genders in sports, we need to encourage our girls to participate and an elevated backing is needed from society at large, investors and athletic institutions.

From Ms Areeba Ali

Public health professional based in Dallas, US

Kicker: Attitude

Headline: Sport has a sexism problem

Women’s sport has always been underrepresented in the media. Not only is it marginalised but also presented in a way that reflects and reinforces gender stereotypes. The understanding that men are better at some sports then women seems unfair because they don’t even give women a chance to prove themselves. Sexism is not just a football problem, a cricket problem, a tennis problem or a motorsport problem. Sport has a sexism problem.

The value placed on women’s sport is often lower, resulting in inadequate resources, unequal wages and prizes. Lack of physical education and limited resources for girls in early years result in fewer opportunities. Women’s participation in sport has a long history. It is a history marked by division and discrimination. Exploitation and harassment in sport are a proof of men’s dominance in sport.

Gender-based discrimination exists in all areas and at all levels of sport and physical activity, propelled by continuing stereotypes of women’s physical abilities and social roles. Women are segregated involuntarily into different types of sports, events and competitions specifically targeted at women. Just because women have fragile-looking bodies does not mean they can’t be tough or strong. Sexism is certainly suffocating. Also, this thinking needs to change that if women’s sports were worthy of more coverage, they would receive it.

Women and men should be treated equally in this aspect. Effort should be made to make sport a safe place for women: as competitors, administrators and fans, making it clear that displaying respect for women and girls is a non-negotiable part of ground entry.

From Ms Shivani Singh

Homemaker based in Abu Dhabi

Kicker: Coverage

Headline: Fifa needs to create interest in women’s football

As a sport lover, I follow football regularly. It is a global sport, so no matter where you’re from, you would follow it. I am a big supporter of the Dutch team ever since I watched them win the European Cup back in 1988. That’s the only time Holland has won anything, ever. Back then, players like Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Ronald Koeman and Frank Rijkaard were absolutely the best and I am still in love with the team.

However, when it comes to women’s football, I just don’t follow it.

The Fifa Under-20 World Cup is ongoing in New Zealand. I know that because it is being shown a lot more regularly on television, so I ended up watching around three matches of the tournament. With the women’s World Cup, however, I watched just one. How can you watch something that isn’t on? I wouldn’t go out of my way to follow it. Sometimes, you need to create interest in a sport.

You hear about Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar every other day in the newspaper and that has an affect. For you to follow any sport, you first hear about it and then start following it.

Women’s golf is shown regularly, so is women’s tennis. That is why you have a lot of people following these sports. The same goes for volleyball. Unless you give it coverage on television, in newspapers and in magazines, how will it become popular?

And the fact that the World Cup is being played on artificial turf is both sad and weird. I don’t know the quality of the turf they are playing on but I still don’t get it. Why would you do that? It is not difficult to arrange for a natural grass field. It sounds like people don’t want women to play football.

From Mr Maisam Zaidi

Head of IT in a Dubai-based company

— Compiled by Huda Tabrez/The writer is a trainee with the Readers Desk at Gulf News