Sound response to FIFA: “We are shocked and disappointed”

pitcher of cold water Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. FIFA, as revealed by The Guardian newspaper, is just one step away from accepting Saudi Arabia’s sponsorship proposal for the long-awaited event. The Federation of the two countries shouted to the sky before such a decision: “If this news turns out to be correct, we are surprised and disappointed to hear it, because FIFA did not consult the New Zealand federation about this matter”, pointed out a statement released by the New Zealand soccer regulatory body.

The tournament, which will be held in overseas countries between July 20 and August 20, can be sponsored by Visit Saudi, the country’s tourism – with a human rights record described by Amnesty International as “appalling” -, sports newspaper The Athletic revealed this week.

“We are very disappointed. We were not consulted before any decision was made,” the FA (Australian Federation) said in a statement. The New Zealand federation also expressed its anger publicly in another writing: “If these reports are true, we are shocked and disappointed. We were also not consulted.”

As co-hosts of Women’s World Cupthe federations of New Zealand and Australia “They jointly wrote to FIFA to urgently clarify the situation,” the letter underlined.

“We cannot express out loud the potential effects and consequences that may result from this decision,” the directors of both federations said in a letter sent to FIFA, according to The Guardian newspaper.

Both Australia and New Zealand said that both countries “place great importance on gender equality.”

Until 2018 women could not access soccer stadiums in Saudi Arabia, while homosexuality continues to be considered illegal, among other human rights violations committed by the Arab nation, which launched the first women’s soccer competition in 2020 and created the women’s national team last year.