FIFA president Gianni Infantino scorched by social media after ‘condescending’ speech on women in football
It’s not a World Cup without the FIFA president putting his foot in his mouth, and that’s precisely what Gianni Infantino has done again in spectacular fashion.
World Cup
Don't miss out on the headlines from World Cup. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It wouldn’t be a FIFA World Cup without some sort of faux-pas from the head of the organisation.
Whether it’s the disgraced Sepp Blatter suggesting women should “wear tighter shorts” to promote the game, or current president Gianni Infantino telling reporters “today, I feel gay, I feel disabled”, it has seemingly become some form of tradition for the FIFA president to put their foot in their mouth during a World Cup.
Now, Infantino has had his most recent remarks savaged after giving a speech in which he told women to “pick the right battles” in the fight for equality in the sport.
In a 22-minute speech at FIFA’s Women’s Football Convention in Sydney, Infantino told the women in the room that they had the power to “convince us men what we have to do” to change the sport.
“I say to all the women – and you know I have four daughters, so I have a few at home [laughs] – I say to all the women, that you have the power to change,” Infantino said.
“Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights. You have the power to change. You have the power to convince us men what we have to do and what we don’t have to do. You do it. Just do it.”
“With men, with FIFA, you will find open doors. Just push the doors. They are open. And do it also at national level, in every country, at continental level, in every confederation.”
Infantino continued to say that equal pay at World Cups was a mere “symbol”, and “would not solve anything”, relative to the day-to-day inequalities in the sport for women.
“Just keep pushing, keep the momentum, keep dreaming, and let’s really go for a full equality,” he said.
“Not just equal pay in the World Cup, which is a slogan that comes up every now and then. Equal pay in the World Cup, we are going in that direction already. But that would not solve anything.
“It might be a symbol but it would not solve anything, because it’s one month every four years and it’s a few players out of the thousands and thousands of players. We need to keep the momentum. We need to push it. We need to go for equality but we have to do it for real. “And you, here in this room, all the women in this room, you have the power to do it. So believe in it.”
Social media was ablaze in indignation at the remarks, with the bulk of the response suggesting that Infantino not only was patronising and policing the tone of women fighting to bridge the gaps in sport in general, but that he was ignorant of activism that had already been undertaken for years.
The Telegraph’s Tom Garry said: “He might as well have said ‘today, I feel condescending’.”
ABC’s Samatha Lewis said women had been “banging on the door of football for over a century”, and that Infantino’s comments were representative of a broader ignorance.
“Infantino says this like women haven‘t been banging on the door of football for over a century. It’s not women who lack the initiative or the knowledge or the ideas, it’s because men still own the house and haven’t let us in,” Lewis said.
ESPN’s Marissa Lordanic said the reference to convincing men was “genuinely one of the shittiest things the literal head of FIFA could possibly say”, referencing the organisation’s long line of presidential stuff-ups.
“‘You have the power to convince us men,’ is genuinely one of the shittiest things the literal head of FIFA could possibly say and it‘s a pretty stellar line up when it comes to shit things FIFA presidents have said,” Lordanic said.
The Guardian’s Marina Hyde said it was “patronising women beyond belief”.
“While the FIFA boss pontificates to ‘all the women’ that they should ‘just push the doors’, we suggest he does his actual job,” Hyde wrote in her column.
The Athletic’s Steph Yang joked: “Are these open doors in the room with us right now?”
2018 Ballon d’Or winner and Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg was deadpan in her response.
“Working on a little presentation to convince men. Who‘s in?”, Hegerberg tweeted.
Commentator Jacqui Oatley said women had been fighting for years against the kind of ignorance Infantino displayed.
“This quote (from Infantino) is actually … extraordinary,” Oatley wrote.
“Though we shouldn’t be surprised. We’ve been battling for decades against this sort of nonsense. So, so poor from Infantino.”
Broadcaster Beth Fisher referenced Infantino’s infamous “I feel gay” speech ahead of the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar.
“Didn’t think he could top “I feel gay” speech but this is utterly infuriating from the guy who heads up world football,” Fisher wrote.
“Why have we got to convince you like we’re asking for a new car or something!? It’s so patronising I can’t deal and …
“Just open the door yourself for f**** sake!”
Podcaster Sophie Penney highlighted the issue of the remarks putting the onus on women.
“So many things wrong with this from Infantino,” Penney wrote.
“Puts all the onus on women, men shouldn‘t need ’convincing’, what does he think we’ve been doing for the past however many years, patronising … I could go on.”
ABC’s Tracey Holmes, however, said she had a different takeaway from the speech, having been in the room.
“You will see, hear, read a lot today criticising the FIFA president’s speech,” Holmes wrote.
“I was in the room and heard it in full - my take away was somewhat different: keep pushing, keep walking through the doors that need to be walked through - especially in your own countries.
“This 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup generated $894 million, to break even.
“Imagine if broadcasters paid what it was worth instead of screwing down the price.”
Holmes is considered one of the most measured and respected voices in Australian sports broadcasting, and in response to a reply noting that Infantino was within his power to increase tournament prize money for the Women’s World Cup, said blaming FIFA was the easy route.
“(Infantino) has said previously that (an increase in prize money) will happen in 2027, now we hold him to that,” she wrote.
“Plenty of people lining up for FIFA money when they are not growing the game in their own countries - not investing in domestic leagues or grass roots as they should.
“Be interesting to see whether our media even continues to report on football & women’s game. Blaming FIFA is easy. Doing something about it locally (everywhere) requires an effort.”
It comes amid a commitment from the Australian Government to a $200m commitment to funding women’s sport.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce on August 19 the “Play Our Way” program, to improve sporting facilities and equipment specifically for women and girls.
He said the Matildas, alongside the Diamonds and the Wallaroos had captured the nation’s hearts and “changed Australian sport forever”, and that momentum must “ripple through generations”.
Originally published as FIFA president Gianni Infantino scorched by social media after ‘condescending’ speech on women in football
‘I’ve given everything’: Much loved Matilda hangs up the boots
The Matildas’ most capped player has revealed she has called time on her glittering national career that has spanned almost half her life, but she will get one last chance to say goodbye to her home fans.
How Kerr will help decide next Matildas coach
The Matildas are set for an epic homecoming - and it’s still unknown if they’ll have a new coach, or star captain Sam Kerr, back by then. But how much of a say will Kerr have on the former?