December 4 – More than a few eyebrows will have been raised across the global game after FIFA announced it has brought in two-time US women’s World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis to the new position of chief football officer.
Ellis will continue to work alongside Arsène Wenger, FIFA chief of global football development, in a partnership that began in 2021 when she led FIFA’s technical advisory group for the women’s game.
Ellis, who led the United States to back-to-back world titles in 2015 and 2019 and is to leave her role of president of the San Diego Wave in the National Women’s Soccer League, was a huge advocate – as was Wenger – of Gianni Infantino’s doomed campaign to double the number of World Cups by playing them every two years instead of four.
The concept quickly died a death after it was fiercely resisted by Europe and South America but Infantino has now rewarded another loyal ally with a senior administrative role in the bosom of the organisation.
“I am honoured to join FIFA in this pioneering role and to contribute to the growth of football from a global perspective,” Ellis said. “FIFA has a unique ability, through football, to unite communities and to drive the game’s development worldwide.
“Having experienced football, from grassroots programmes up to senior national-team level, I’ve seen first-hand its transformative power.”
In its own statement, FIFA added: “The creation of the chief football officer position underscores FIFA’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and accessible global football community, ensuring that football remains a sport for all.”
Diverse and inclusive is an interesting choice of words given recent accusations against Ellis for allegedly creating a hostile working environment.
Back in August she responded to such allegations with a defamation lawsuit filed against the former employee who claimed she was an abusive boss.
It was the last thing the US game needed having only just started to emerge from a series of sexual harassment and gender inequality scandals that have forced a rethink of how the game is coached and managed, and by whom.
In her suit, Ellis said the club’s former videographer Brittany Alvarado used a fake email account to bolster her claims about Ellis.
But three other San Diego Wave employees also came forward complaining about workplace culture.
For her part, on July 3 Alvarado posted: “On behalf of myself and my former colleagues, the treatment we endured under club President Jill Ellis has been nothing short of life-altering and devastating to our mental health.”
Yet with Ellis’ lawsuit still ongoing, she has now been tasked with driving the development and implementation of FIFA’s global football strategy.
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