Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin will not be attending the Women’s World Cup final, despite the European confederation having two teams at the Sydney final in Spain and England.
Uefa will instead be represented by Nadine Kessler, technical director of the women’s game for the body.
Ceferin’s absence is the latest in a series of snubs from figures who purportedly support or represent the women’s game, including president of the FA Prince William, and UK prime minister Rishi Sunak.
The length of the journey to Australia was put down as a primary reason for Ceferin’s snub.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino will be present at Sunday’s final, although he created controversy of his own on Friday with a speech that encouraged women to “just push the doors” saying that they have the “power to convince us men” in the fight for equality.
Speaking at a Fifa women’s football convention in Sydney in the build-up to the World Cup final, Infantino said: “And I say to all the women – and you know I have four daughters, so I have a few at home – I say to all the women, that you have the power to change.
“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. Just keep pushing, keep the momentum, keep dreaming, and let’s really go for a full equality.”
Gianni Infantino endured critcism for his speech on Friday— (AFP via Getty Images)
His comments provoked backlash and were criticised by some, providing an unwelcome throwback to statements he made at last year’s men’s World Cup in Qatar where he gave his infamous speech, including the phrases “today I feel gay” and “today I feel disabled”.
Infantino later sought to clarify his comments in an interview with Sky News, claiming his words were misinterpreted, taken out of context and that Fifa are pioneers when it comes to women’s football.
“What I would like to see is indeed women to tell us how women’s football should be rather than men imposing what they think women’s football should be, often copying men’s football and maybe copying in a bad way,” Infantino explained.
“So we want to pioneer. As far as Fifa is concerned, and as far as I am concerned, I think we have shown with the facts around the world that we are very open, that we are transparent, that our doors are wide, wide open.
“Sometimes it’s important that people listen to the entirety of a discussion, of reasoning, because sometimes – indeed taken out of context – some words might be misinterpreted or misused.
“I think that what FIFA has done in the last few years has been acting really as a pioneer in women’s football. We have been increasing the prize money 10 times compared to when I started.”
