‘disrespectful’: Players Hit Out At Conmebol Over Issues At Copa América Feminina

In Europe nan summertime has been marked by grounds attendances, a soft cognition and immoderate outstanding performances astatine Euro 2025. But nan image from nan 2025 Copa América Feminina, played successful nan South American winter, is little rosy pinch disapproval from players, coaches, fans and media regarding nan mediocre organisation, debased attendances and questionable refereeing.

With nan fiasco of nan Copa Libertadores Feminina past October, different tourney blighted by organisational problems, caller successful representation nan dream was that Conmebol would raise their crippled for this year’s Copa América successful Ecuador. However, nan tourney feels years down its European rival and that is worrying successful nan utmost arsenic nan continent prepares to big its first Women’s World Cup, successful Brazil successful 2027.

The issues astatine nan tourney bespeak deeper structural problems wrong South American women’s football. Major competitions often deficiency nan exertion now ever-present successful nan men’s game, specified arsenic VAR from nan group stage, and nan main stadia successful nan state are not being used.

Promotion for this title has besides been lacking, pinch tickets, for example, only going connected waste connected 4 July, conscionable 8 days earlier nan tourney started. It is nary astonishment that location has been a debased turnout. Brazilian fable Marta was 1 of those who said retired astir nan constricted finance successful nan tournament. “It’s been a agelong clip since I played successful a tourney present successful South America, and we were saddened by these circumstances. We dream that Conmebol will alteration things and amended nan situation,” she told Globo Esporte.

Brazil training indoors anterior to a Copa América Femenina match. Photograph: X

Undeterred and while nether occurrence for its handling of nan Copa América, Conmebol announced a caller world tournament: nan Nations League. The tie will return spot connected 31 July successful Paraguay and will tally betwixt 2025 and 2026. Two places astatine nan World Cup are up for grabs, pinch different 2 disposable astatine nan intercontinental playoffs. At slightest VAR will beryllium utilized astatine each nan games.

That has not been nan lawsuit successful Ecuador, wherever nan Chilean defender Fernanda Pinilla said up against nan deficiency of it for nan group stages. It will only beryllium utilized successful this week’s semi-finals and nan final. “I deliberation VAR tin activity for you aliases against you, but it gets america person to fairness,” she said aft nan 2-1 conclusion to Argentina. “It would beryllium really important that, successful specified a awesome tourney for illustration nan Copa América, it could beryllium used. We still request to amended nan tournament, nan format, everything, and 1 of these improvements would beryllium to person VAR from nan group stage.”

Pinilla was not nan only 1 to criticise nan tournament’s organisation. Her teammate Yanara Aedo said: “It’s disrespectful that we don’t person VAR. For us, arsenic players, it’s shameful to watch nan [differences between] nan Euros and nan Copa América … In our past lucifer [a 3-0 triumph complete Peru], a morganatic extremity was disallowed. It’s bully that nan crippled was broadcast truthful group could spot nan 2 penalties we weren’t given. I’m not saying Argentina didn’t merit to triumph but VAR would person changed nan crippled for them and us, for each player. The organisers should get their enactment together because we’re arsenic overmuch footballers arsenic nan men are.”

Another heavy criticised rumor was nan warm-up arrangements earlier matches. Players were not allowed to lukewarm up connected nan pitch; alternatively they had to get fresh successful mini rooms successful nan stadium. “While astatine nan Euros they are breaking records successful technology, we are warming up successful a room pinch a maximum of 20 quadrate metres, smelling of paint,” wrote nan Brazilian and Manchester City guardant Kerolin connected her X relationship aft scoring a hat-trick successful nan 6-0 triumph against Bolivia.

The Brazilian women’s nationalist team, who person won nan tourney 9 times, person been astatine nan forefront of nan disapproval complete Conmebol’s handling of nan competition. They had to lukewarm up successful these mini rooms earlier nan games against Venezuela and Bolivia – together pinch their opponents.

“The warm-up rumor really worries me,” nan Brazil coach, Arthur Elias, said. “We had a subordinate who, astatine nan extremity of nan warm-up, felt what was possibly beryllium a musculus issue. We tested her [and she played], but if we had needed to switch her it would person been pinch a subordinate who hadn’t warmed up because location wasn’t capable abstraction for each 20 players.”

Conmebol claimed that, pinch each matches being played successful conscionable 2 stadia, nan pitches would deteriorate if nan warm-ups were done connected them too. However, nan governing assemblage later announced that, aft re-evaluating nan information of nan pitches, players would beryllium allowed 15 minutes of warm-up connected nan playing field. “I’d for illustration to convey Conmebol for being conscious capable to let america to lukewarm up for 15 minutes. It’ll beryllium really important. It’s still not ideal, not moreover close, but it’s a bully first step, and whitethorn we ever evolve,” Kerolin said.

The business is not bully capable and Conmebol person to perceive to nan players erstwhile it comes to providing nan champion support for women’s football. In conscionable 2 years, nan continent will big fans from astir nan world who expect to bask nan women’s crippled astatine its highest level. There is simply a batch to beryllium done earlier then.

Talking points

Business end: The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals return spot this week, starting pinch a thrilling conflict betwixt Nigeria and South Africa, which is followed by Morocco v Ghana. Nigeria were ascendant successful their 5-0 quarter-final triumph complete Zambia while hosts Morocco besides looked successful good shape during their 3-1 triumph complete Mali. The last takes spot connected Saturday.

Anger successful Uruguay: The Uruguayan FA’s president, Ignacio Alonso, has been criticised by players aft he posted connected societal media celebrating nan maturation of nan women’s crippled nether his activity since 2019, highlighting “more players, much divisions, and broadcasts”. Just earlier Uruguay’s information successful nan Copa América, players refused to train, calling for improvements to nan moving conditions – including usage of men’s nationalist squad facilities, amended instrumentality and accrued regular allowances for nationalist and world commitments. Defensor Sporting’s Camila Friciello replied to nan station saying: “Alonso, women’s shot successful Uruguay is wholly amateur. We went from playing successful stadiums to playing connected training grounds. From games broadcast connected TV to streaming. We play pinch unspeakable balls. There are nary salaries. No aesculapian assistance. (…) Two weeks ago, nan nationalist squad didn’t train because they didn’t person due conditions.”

Uruguay players airs earlier their triumph complete Peru. Photograph: José Jácome/EPA

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