MADRID, 12 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The ‘UEFA Football Board’ met on Monday at the House of European Football in Nyon (Switzerland) to discuss issues related to women’s football, from strategy and refereeing to the match calendar, competitions and, above all, the well-being of the players, a “priority” for the European football body.
During the meeting, the need for greater consideration of the needs of the players and for an open dialogue on the match calendar, the scheduling of competitions and the calculation of injury time, which adds an additional burden to the team, was conveyed. already heavy workload of the players.
The UEFA Football Board also expressed its appreciation and satisfaction with the new UEFA women’s national team competition system and provided information on the current status and development of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
This discussion group commented on UEFA’s women’s football strategy and recommended increasing initiatives that encourage greater representation in leadership positions within football, as well as new competition opportunities, protection of female players, improved quarries and greater support for national federations.
Refereeing issues such as VAR, handball, the behavior of footballers and coaches, and UEFA’s new ‘Be a Referee!’ campaign were also discussed, followed by matters related to competitions and the match calendar.
During the meeting, the attendance records in women’s matches broken across the continent by clubs and national teams were highlighted, as well as the increase in investments made in Europe in recent seasons.
It concluded with medical discussions focused on the effects of the menstrual cycle on player performance and recovery, head injury prevention and education, and the prevention and treatment of anterior cruciate ligament injuries ( LCA).
The meeting was attended by Verónica Boquete, Marissa Callaghan, Karen Carney, Jovana Damnjanovic, Jonas Eidevall, Magdalena Eriksson, Laura Georges, Gemma Grainger, Ada Hegerberg, Pernille Harder, Josephine Henning, Eugénie Le Sommer, Carolina Morace, Francisco Neto, Alexia Putellas, Lotta Schelin, Viktoria Schnaderbeck, Tessa Wullaert and Leah Williamson.
UEFA’s general director of women’s football, Nadine Kessler, said that bringing together some of the “big names” to discuss the successes, challenges and opportunities facing women’s football was a “necessary step.”
“We have listened to you carefully. And I really loved the open spirit and constructive debate. Your ideas will undoubtedly lead to an even better European football landscape. I want to thank you all for your time,” he commented.
For her part, the Spanish Verónica Boquete added that it is an “experienced” group that really knows the competitions, problems, weaknesses and strengths of European women’s football. “It’s great to be able to share it. We want to help improve the system and the organization and bring new ideas. I already think UEFA is doing a great job, but if I can do something to help, great,” she said.