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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
WOMEN have the potential of sending a strong message to the rest of the world through sport in general and football in particular, Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura has said.
The Senegalese, who is Fifa’s first female secretary-general told Fifa.com at the end of a third Fifa-hosted conference for Equality and Inclusion on Monday ahead of International Women’s Day that was celebrated yesterday.
She said what was witnessed at the last Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada and enthusiasm for the next World Cup in France gives the impression that football is the right tool for social change.
“Any society that tries to implement sustainable changes for a more inclusive world can do that more with football. With football we can achieve greater changes in record time,” said Samoura.
“Football is a sport with a global reach that can bring men and women together. Gender equality is about empowering women and allowing them to be self-expressive and tell the rest of the world that a conservative society is not the way to go when you want to promote sport,” she said.
Samoura, who accompanied Fifa president Gianni Infantino to Zimbabwe last month, said her appointment was a clear indicator that football was embracing diversity and was hopeful that member associations and confederations would also be inspired to have confidence in women taking up football posts.
“My appointment as Fifa secretary general shows that the world of football is embracing diversity at the highest levels of its hierarchy. But it is definitely not just my appointment that will change the perception which is held by the majority of people that football is a male-dominated game. We need to see the same changes at confederation, member association and community level. Giving the opportunity to young girls to even practice football gives them an opportunity to eventually seize or embrace a career in football. I definitely consider myself lucky to occupy this number two position at Fifa. I just hope my example will inspire other football leagues and confederations and member associations,” she said.
@skhumoyo2000
Online Reporter