World Cup 2022 news: Mark Schwarzer questions cost of football in Australia
Former Socceroos hero Mark Schwarzer has used a politician’s press conference to rail against a huge problem for the sport in Australia.
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As the Socceroos attempt to pick up the pieces of their World Cup campaign, one of their all-time greats has taken up the fight about the sport’s future in a remarkable press conference address.
Funding, or a lack of it, has become an increasingly key debate in Australian football – partly focused on the “astronomical” cost of junior registration fees.
And the night after the Socceroos’ heavy 4-1 defeat to France, Schwarzer chose his moment to put his concerns to Football Australia boss James Johnson and Federal Sports Minister Anika Wells, who was in Doha on a diplomatic mission as well as to support the Socceroos, at a press conference at the Socceroos’ Doha training base on Wednesday.
Schwarzer, one of Australia’s most decorated footballers who is covering the World Cup for Optus Sport, laid out his fears with former national teammates Harry Kewell (working for SBS) and Tim Cahill (Chief Sport Officer at Qatar’s Aspire Academy) also in attendance.
“I’m not actually asking this question on behalf of Optus Sport, I’m asking it on behalf of myself as a footballer who played for the national team and Harry can probably vouch for it as well,” Schwarzer said.
“Growing up as a kid, you didn’t need money to play football, it was there, it was an opportunity to play. In Australia now the cost to play football for the average individual is astronomical.
“I know the government has increased the funding . I agree it needs to be addressed, seriously addressed, because we need more kids playing football, and sport in general, we are that far behind other codes . that cost next to nothing. I hear it all the time, constant complaints about the cost.
“So to James as well, if there is extra funding, where is it going and will it be going towards cutting the cost for the average individual and, if not, why isn’t it? Because it should be.”
Wells, who nodded throughout Schwarzer’s question, acknowledged the importance of the issue.
“I don’t know what the answer is yet, but I do know that it’s a problem,” said Wells, who said there is no “unlimited pot of money’.
“But I think it goes back to that overall question of what do you want? Do you want us to discount those things (costs) as a government subsidy or do you want us to put (money) into the sports and let them work it out?”
Johnson said the issue of junior fees had been a longstanding one for his sport, noting it was one of the ‘XI Principles’ revealed in 2020 which was designed to map out the future of football in Australia.
Wells, meanwhile, was forced to defend her decision to attend the Qatar World Cup – while representatives from multiple European nations boycotted the tournament over the country’s human rights record.
“I am here first and foremost to support the Socceroos but, also, we are a new government and we believe in open dialogue,” Wells said.
“And we believe that we need to show up to have it. So I showed up to take Australia’s seat at the table again and to have that open dialogue.
“I have had several meetings with Qatari ministers now putting Australia’s position on the table.”
Wells also addressed the Socceroos’ pre-tournament statement that called out Qatar’s questionable human rights record – saying she supported “athletes’ rights to have a voice” but hadn’t raised the topic in any of her diplomatic meetings.
“There was no need for me to make clear to the Qatari government (about) the Socceroos video, obviously that had been broadcast around the world,” she added.
“On behalf of the Australian government I made clear … we acknowledge the progress that has been made in the 12 years … (but) progress doesn’t move in a straight line, there is more to be done.
“I really feel like we had a constructive, frank discussion about that where we talked about what is to come and Australia’s role in that.”
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Originally published as World Cup 2022 news: Mark Schwarzer questions cost of football in Australia
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