Colombian female football: Analysis of a path full of barriers and inequality

This article does not reflect the opinions of the FeminUN student group, but of it respective authors.

In order to understand how the role of women has evolved within the framework of sports such as soccer, we must understand the root of why their path has been filled with so many obstacles. Initially, it should be noted that women were relegated to the role of housewives and caregivers. They were not seen in a position of equality with men, since they were "fragile", they had to be submissive and "feminine". Since it was the latter who was oriented to work, to bring food to the home and to work, to bring food to the home and who had strong skills. Later, as time progressed, women raised their voices in search of equal rights with men. In sports, such as soccer, or as many fans call it: "the king of sports", there have been no exception to the multiple barriers that women have had to face because they do not believe they have enough skills to play it. Considered from its beginnings as a masculine sport, because in society it was not contemplated that women would run, perform sweeps, dive to avoid a goal or simply feel so much passion for a sport. So, women in their struggle to win a space have had to fight against a system that exists to favor men in sports.

We can highlight the date to which the origin of women's football can be traced, which is the year 1894, when "a woman activist who defended women's rights and who used as a pseudonym the name Nettie Honeyball created a team called "British Ladies' Football Club (BLFC)" (Vargas M. & Nájar O., 2020, p. 338). In this sense, a precedent was set at a time when women were completely denied that space. However, the paradox is that although many years have passed since then, today society continues to impose that it should be played by men through the investment of money especially in men's soccer and the invisibilization of women's soccer (Vargas M. & Nájar O., 2020). However, as pointed out by María Vargas and Olga Sánchez (2020), female players, as in the Colombian case, have achieved victories and have become more recognized not only nationally but also internationally. Therefore, that exclusionary thinking has been gradually changing, and today we see women who do everything or more than what a soccer player would do, as well as feel the same passion for the shield and color they represent.

Despite having demonstrated with much effort on the part of female players that they deserve their place in the sport, discrimination and gender inequality have been "normalized, salaries for women are lower, female athletes are regularly victims of sexual harassment and abuse and when they report it they are stigmatized, they have also been excluded or singled out because of their sexual orientation" (Vargas M. & Nájar O., 2020, p. 340).

As well as publicly their triumphs are not recognized, and the agreements they enter into have stipulations that seek to make it impossible for them to go to the courts to file complaints of abuse (Vargas M. & Nájar O., 2020). On the one hand, we can specify that in Colombia there is a salary gap between the men's and women's leagues, since for the players their remuneration ranges from 4 million pesos to 200 million pesos, while for the players their salaries range between 1,500,000 and 2,000,000 pesos (El Empleo, 2022). In addition, regarding the abuses to which they have been subjected, there is the case of the Colombian players, who in 2018 denounced for sexual abuse "the technical directors who were part of the team at the time of the concentrations prior to the World Cup in Uruguay" (Vargas M & Nájar O., 2020, p. 340) , and this generated that they were threatened with decreases in their salary or told that they would not be part of the parties.

On the other hand, in relation to the recent activity of the players, we can see how our beloved Colombian female team in all its categories exude passion for colors, especially the girls of the team in the under-17 category did an incredible feat, by qualifying to the final of the U-17 Women's Soccer World Cup, leaving Colombia's name high, achieving what the men's team can only continue to dream of. Despite this, they did not receive the same recognition, as reflected in the comment made by Ramón Jesurún, the top leader of Colombian soccer, when he pointed out that "The prizes are only given to professional soccer players, they are amateur girls" (Semana, 2022). Even so, this year millions of Colombians saw the quality of the players we have and the path is being made to give women's soccer greater visibility.

Additionally, we exalt that from a few years ago we have seen how France Football reviews it, which is the one that awards the highest individual prize in men's soccer, that is, the Golden Ball, has included a category in its gala, which It is the Women's Golden Ball. This is an award that not only highlights the GOAT, but is also a symbol of hope to achieve equality in this sport.

Finally, we can conclude that the path that the players have traveled in order to win a space that is structured to favor men, such as football, has required a lot of effort on their part. Despite the multiple stigmas that have surrounded them, they have shown that they have enough skills to carry it out, and therefore deserve recognition for their hard work. Which must materialize through the visibility of their participation in the different matches, publicity in the media, greater investment in the women's league, and equal pay with respect to the remuneration they receive compared to the players. Additionally, they deserve safe play spaces that respect their rights, that take action when they are violated.

Written by Maria Claudia Maya & Catalina Pizarro.

Translated by Adriana Berdugo & Gabriela Díaz.

References

El Empleo. (2022, 21 julio). ¿Cuánto ganan en promedio las futbolistas de la selección Colombia femenina? https://www.elempleo.com/co/noticias/noticias-laborales/cuanto-ganan-en-promedio-las-futbolistas-de-la-seleccion-colombia-femenina-6865

Semana. (2022, 22 octubre). “Solo a profesionales, ellas son amateur”: Jesurún enciende polémica sobre los premios a la Selección Colombia Femenina Sub-17. https://www.semana.com/deportes/articulo/solo-a-profesionales-ellas-son-amateur-jesurun-enciende-polemica-sobre-los-premios-a-la-seleccion-colombia-femenina-sub-17/202235/

Vargas M. & Nájar O. (2020, 18 noviembre). Women, soccer and inequity. Zenodo. https://zenodo.org/record/4278378