By Andrew Warshaw
March 8 – Hiring more women to take on decision-making roles must be made a priority by new FIFA president Gianni Infantino if he wants to restore the organisation’s tarnished image. That was the message shouted from the rooftops at the second FIFA women’s football and leadership conference this week.
Under FIFA’s raft of reforms, at least six places on the new 36-member FIFA council, which will replace the executive committee, should be filled by women.
But Australian FIFA executive member Moya Dodd, whose relentless campaign for gender equality has not always found favour among FIFA’s male-dominated conservative old guard, told Infantino there needed to be a complete transformation in attitude.
“All the horrible things you hear about FIFA, none of them you hear about women’s football,” said Dodd. ” Commercially FIFA has one big asset called the men’s World Cup. We [women] also have one, the Women’s World Cup and perhaps soon a Women’s Club World Cup.
“Secondly we have a big brand problem and women are part of the solution for FIFA. Thirdly, you have a whole lot of people who would do anything to help women advance in football. There’s an army out there who will be your supporters, your workers, your footsoldiers, your champions, to make the game better.”
Infantino, who took over an organisation without any women having responsibility for commercial or financial matters after more than 17 years under Sepp Blatter, responded: “I don’t like to impose diktats or obligations but sometimes we need to have targets and work on having even more women in the council. Let’s put ambitious targets and see where we get to and what we can achieve.”
The conference began with a keynote address by former tennis great Billie-Jean King who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles. She said Infantino could strike a blow for gender equality by appointing a female general secretary.
“It’s not just about women having a seat at the table, and being grateful. They need to have a voice too,” she said.
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