FIFA has found itself embroiled in controversy over gender discrimination ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup, as it banned female players from participating in training sessions with referees prior to the tournament.
According to the Daily Mail, emails from FIFA's referee department were sent to clubs in Sydney, requesting "male players aged 15 and above" to attend a series of training sessions for referees at Sydney's Olympic Park, where the Women's World Cup will be held.
The daily meetings of FIFA's referee delegation started last Sunday and will continue until August 20, the day of the Women's World Cup final.
The Daily Mail reports that at least one club based in Sydney sent their women's team to Sydney's Olympic Park earlier this week to offer assistance, but they were disregarded by FIFA officials and ultimately left without the opportunity to participate.
"It's only FIFA that requests male players to assist in preparing the referees for the Women's World Cup," a source told the Daily Mail. "Our team was ready to participate, and they only selected men or boys to start the matches. The women were asked to wait and be substitutes. After a two-hour wait, they left out of frustration and being disregarded."
The email sent to clubs stated that "FIFA requires male players aged 15 and above with good football skills to be used for daily training activities," but no reasons were given for this clear gender bias.
FIFA has requested around 50 players per day and offered a payment of around £25 per player for their participation in the two-and-a-half-hour training sessions.
The decision to exclude female players appears peculiar, considering that one of the main motivations of the 2023 Women's World Cup is to enhance the involvement of women and girls.
FIFA has not yet provided any comments on this matter.
