“Decades of systematic discrimination” could not be explained in 20 minutes, but Alexia Putellas He understood that there was a lot to clarify. Why the players rebelled Spanish selection demanding changes has as a trigger, the straw that broke the camel’s back, the non-consensual kiss of the former president Luis Rubiales a Jenni Hermoso, the alleged pressure on the player and the speech at the assembly, but before that they had already accumulated contempt that they had not yet recounted in the first person. 15 months of statements to which they have given voice in recent days and the intention is for them to end here, in Córdoba, after the duel against Switzerland. Because everything fought for is starting to bear fruit. “We are better,” the captain did not hesitate to acknowledge.
Both Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes They gave explanations again during the team’s brief stay in Seville before traveling to Córdoba to play against Switzerland. But were not the only ones. Athenea, Ona Batlle, Misa and Cata Coll were also explained. The most absolute clarity was provided by the veterans: Everything has the same origin: in the RFEF they were not treated as professionals.
“He Women’s Football It hasn’t been on the priority list. An example of this is that in the Euro Cup qualification, one day before a match we had to take a plane that made us get up at three in the morning. They were not schedules for elite athletes, whose priority is training, meals, and rest. It was not coherent to compete like this to be in a Euro Cup,” Alexia denounced. It’s not that there were more, it’s that they were recurring: “In a top-level tournament we never started from the same conditions. They moved by plane and we we spent six hours on the bus. These are two examples of change that we asked for.” They transmitted it to the RFEF a year ago, 15 of them refused to go under those conditions, which only improved slightly for the World Cup. There were charter flights, family conciliation and bonuses agreed with the same percentage as men, although linked to the benefits of each selection.
None of that was enough to prevent what happened in the World Cup final, nor in the week after. “The system failed Jenni, because in these situations he must make protocols to prevent it from happening. If there was a professional structure, we would only be there to play. As captains we have had to have meetings with trips, concentrations… We want to be in the national team, I want to make it clear. But with zero tolerance for these events. The system failed and we explained what happened, what was seen or what was not. We denounce attitudes and behaviors that cannot be tolerated in any work environment. It is true that they hear us that it is not something that has always happened,” said the double Ballon d’Or winner.
Irene Paredes wanted to summarize it: “We have been treated like girls many times and I think that here we are all professional women who play soccer.”, claimed Irene Paredes. As Barça players, they know what it is to feel supported because two managers accompanied them to Oliva, “something to be grateful for in a time of stress,” said Alexia.