By Andrew Warshaw
Jnauary 13 – Players at this year’s women’s World Cup in Canada appear close to conceding that they will lose their battle to compete on natural grass.
The ringleaders of the protest movement against playing on artificial turf took their complaint to a FIFA delegation, including secretary general Jerome Valcke, ahead of Monday’s World player of the year gala ceremony in Zurich.
United States forward Abby Wambach, who later came third in the women’s ballot, revealed the discussions at the traditional pre-vote official news conference.
She told reporters that they talked “openly, candidly” with Valcke, but did not expect natural grass pitches to be approved ahead of the June 6 kickoff.
“I think FIFA has made their decision and they are sticking to it,” she said. “The powers that be, the logistics, the timing – it just may not happen. It’s tough because as female athletes we want to be treated equal and we want to be playing on grass.”
Wambach and Brazil forward Marta, who came second in the women’s poll, have both supported an anti-discrimination lawsuit filed in the Canadian courts.
“If we had better dialogue over a year ago, two years ago when these decisions were really being made maybe we could have put together a coalition sooner to fight this,” Wambach added
FIFA insists that the best artificial turf surfaces are better than average grass ones and do not increase the risk injuries. But Wambach disagreed.
“I know I’m going to be a heck of a lot more sore after the tournament, that’s for sure,” said the 34-year-old, who has played in three World Cups but has to yet to win the trophy.
Meanwhile, in a last-ditch proposal put forward by their lawyer, the players agreed to artificial turf so long as the semi-finalss onwards are switched to natural grass.
“The battle over the use of plastic pitches at the women’s World Cup can easily and quickly come to a peaceful resolution,” attorney Hampton Dellinger said in a statement.”All FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association need to do is accept the players’ feasible, affordable, and more than fair deal.”
The compromise says grass could be installed in each of the three stadiums hosting the semifinals, third-place playoff and final though this is highly unlikely to gain agreement from the organisers.
“The players continue to believe a women’s World Cup should not be singled out for field conditions men’s World Cups have never been subjected to,” the proposal said. “But this settlement offer represents a good-faith attempt at compromise.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734843104labto1734843104ofdlr1734843104owedi1734843104sni@w1734843104ahsra1734843104w.wer1734843104dna1734843104