‘Fifa’s biggest weakness’: female futsal stars speak on equality
• Players issue demand for Fifa women’s World Cup
• Video: ‘How much longer do we have to wait?’
• Brazil men’s star Ferrão adds voice to campaign
Female futsal players want answers from Fifa over its approach to the women’s game Image: AJFSF
SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY to futsalstreetspot.com, some of the game’s biggest stars reveal their thoughts about the campaign for Fifa to signal its intent to create a women’s futsal World Cup, as revealed in the Guardian. The call comes on the weekend the ninth men’s World Cup begins in Lithuania:
Fereshteh Karimi, Iran
The player of the tournament in Iran’s historic first AFC title in 2015 says the lack of a world cup is FIFA’s “biggest weakness”.
The “first consequence” of not having a World Cup, she says, “is that women futsal players become unmotivated because they work so hard to train hard when there is no World Cup”.
“But I have to say that in previous years, three small World Cup matches were held on a trial basis, which was very good. It also helped to see women's futsal in the world, but unfortunately it did not continue. However, FIFA has stated many times that we want to hold the Women's World Cup, but there is no news yet.
“In fact, at the moment, women are given special attention all over the world and in all fields, but in futsal, women are not given any importance despite their high abilities.
“I personally think this because none of the futsal members are active in FIFA.
“They are not women so they cannot defend our rights. I hope this gender discrimination in futsal will disappear soon and we women futsal will achieve our dream.”
––– Video: background to the Women’s Futsal Players’ Association campaign –––
Video: AJFSF Image: Fernando Salas/@blue.panther23
Anita Luján, Spain
The captain of Spain’s history-making Uefa Euros 2018 winning team says: “It would be a dream for me [to play in a women’s futsal World Cup] and for all the people that love this game.
“But I think it's time to stop saying that it could be a dream and start saying that it must be a reality.”
“My life is fustal, and having a World Cup will mark a historic milestone for the sport”
Amandinha, Brazil
Amandinha, Brazil
“We need to have Fifa as our ally as soon as possible,” says the six times best player in the world.
The biggest name in women’s futsal, who has won several unofficial world titles with Brazil, recognises the huge significance of a Fifa-sanctioned event to fuel the game’s rapid growth among female players.
“It would be fundamental because it would mean a giant leap for our sport,” she told futsalstreetspot.com.
“More organisation, better conditions and the economic resources that would bring to our sport.
“But in futsal technical terms, there would be no difference, since no team would change their squad, whether it was FIFA or not.”
“What excites me the most is knowing that I would be among the best futsal players in the world. I have a thirst for learning from these people.
“My life is futsal, and having a Fifa World Cup it will mark a historic milestone for the sport and for my career.”
Ferrão, Brazil
The most fearsome pivot in men’s futsal – whose goalscoring prowess holds the key for Brazil’s chances in the 2021 World Cup in Lithuania – is unambiguous about his support for his “female futsal friends”.
“I think not having a women’s World Cup is a delay for our sport.”
The women’s game “deserve the same equalities and conditions” as the men’s, insists the Barcelona goalscorer.
“I think that not having a women's World Cup is a delay for our sport,” he adds.
“I have a lot of female futsal players friends in Spain and in Brazil and I have seen their games and I know how competitive it is. They have a high level.
“Futsal must have as many futsal players references as possible. I played in three of the best leagues in the world (Brazil, Spain and Russia) and in those three women's futsal is a reference.”
A Fifa spokesperson said the federation was examining “the landscape of women’s football competitions – which cover all disciplines including futsal”.
The Women’s Futsal Players’ Association helped with the interviews for futsalstreetspot.com
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