ABU DHABI // Brazilian women’s footballer Marta believes increasing media coverage of women’s sport would generate more interest and attract more financial support for female athletes.
She said greater exposure is crucial to developing participation in sport by women.
The five-time Fifa women’s world player of the year was speaking on Tuesday during the second and final day of the International Conference of Sports for Women at Emirates Palace, held under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, in which athletes and officials spoke about the challenges facing women in sport.
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Marta, 29, who has 91 caps for Brazil and 79 goals, spoke about the challenges she faced in becoming a female footballer in a country where the men’s version was the dominant force.
“Probably the most important is the financial aspect,” she said.
“To really support the girls and women that want to make a life out of sport it is crucial to have the right and proper kind of media coverage, in order for the sport, as a platform, to have coverage.
“With that exposure of the sport they can call in sponsors, who could not only invest in the sport but invest in the athletes.
“My concern is it is not only loving the sport, it is not only willing to do something out of the sport, but in order to love, to have a dream, you need to be properly supported and the financial support is really important to the athletes.
“A lot of them they love the sport, they want to practise, they want to be competitive, they want to represent their country but when it comes to that crucial moment that with no financial support they are obligated to try a different thing in life.”
Locally, Amal bu Shallakh, from the UAE women’s football federation, said the sport was developing well in the country, with only 20 UAE female players in 2009 having increased to more than 2,000 and the formation of Under 14s and 16s sides.
Dr Mai Al Jaber, a board member of the UAE Olympic Committee, said that they had worked to ensure that would-be athletes have the support to thrive as they dream of competing in Olympic Games.
“We used to say there were no trainers or coaches but today, as is the directive of the government, we are talking about this again more, no barriers, and in this respect everything is provided – coaches, even women coaches, women Emirati coaches,” she said.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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