SHANGHAI, 29 September 2007
The 4th Women’s Football Symposium concluded with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter receiving a standing ovation for commending the Symposium Declaration. Delegates agreed, amongst other things, to establish development plans, seek active partnerships with government, media and business, and to develop greater opportunities for girls and women from grassroots to the top level.
Mary Harvey, former US international and host for the event, repeatedly emphasised that women’s football was not a narrow concern. This was about teamwork: “This is not us versus them. This is about us doing something terrific together and enabling women to have more opportunities to play sports.”
The carefully structured format of the presentations meant that the event remained focused, succinct and business-like, despite predictable calls from the floor for more money and vague platitudes about “awareness raising”.
Key to avoiding these generalist traps was careful planning and strategy. Partners should not be merely approached, they should be courted with ideas and proposals that will help them achieve their own aims. Instinctive lobbying of only the Sports Ministry should be supplemented with strategies that looked at how women’s football campaigns can help achieve aims in Education and Health Ministries. Research and targeting was crucial.
In the private sector, New Zealand’s “Small Whites” grassroots football programme has secured sponsorship and shared marketing deals with multinationals eager to reach the young families to whom football appeals. The self-funding project has been so successful that in rugby-obsessed New Zealand, football is now the number one sport with young people – boys and girls.
Stories about the overwhelming popularity of the game were common throughout. Chile, which hosts next year’s U20 Women’s World Cup, was able to boast of an U14 tournament where four new teams were made up of players who just came on their own. One of these girls had come 40 miles and went on to be named player of the tournament.
Another important cause was“credentialising” the women’s game – helping people and the media understand more that there is nothing odd or inferior about female football. At times it was right to strike a different path from the men’s game: development of female coaches, referees and administrators was essential for providing role models and keeping girls and women in the game when their playing careers are over. However, there was nothing wrong with using existing structures and interest in the men’s game. The English FA’s simultaneous kit launch (where Faye White took equal billing with David Beckham) was just one example of how profiles can be raised through co-operation with the men’s game.
Peter Jenkins, President of the St Kitts and Nevis Football Association expressed the concerns of many when he said that “stigma and discrimination are critical points that continue to hold back the growth of women’s football.” An inspirational presentation from Pakistani politician and proud “soccer mom” Rabina Irfan highlighted how much can be achieved with the right plans and partnerships, no matter the fierceness of traditionalist opposition. The Pakistani National Women’s League is now in its third year and is looking to set up regional competitions to accommodate all the teams that wish to participate.
Adapting FIFA’s slogan as “For the Game. For the World. For the Women.” the 4th Women’s Football Symposium proved the many ways in which women’s football is developing at all levels all over the world, from Namibia to New Zealand.
Now that key factors have been identified and examples of success championed, it remains to be seen how well these will be used to bring to full fruition Mr Blatter’s promise that “The future of football is feminine.” It looks like a good start.
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