Women footballers more likely to be asked to "fix matches": Survey

A survey revealed on Friday that football is still a man's world, with half of the women players not having a written contract and half not even being paid by their clubs.

Women's football is undergoing a period of dramatic growth and development, but there is still a long way to go, said the report by academics from the University of Manchester, reports Xinhua news agency.

A survey among 3,000 top women players also revealed that females were more likely to be approached about fixing matches.

"Many women who received income for playing for their country reported that payments were late, and along with those receiving no income for international appearances, they were considerably more likely to be approached to fix a match. Five percent of respondents said they had been approached to fix a match. Those paid little or late are more likely to be approached," the report said.

In the report into working conditions, it was found that female footballers still lack the same securities as men, with contracts, employment security and prize money among the problem areas.

A survey commissioned by FIFPro, the international professional football players' union, was completed by over 3,000 players from the top women's leagues in 33 countries and regions across the world.

It covered issues ranging from age, education and salary, to contracts, payments and expenses. It also gathered data about the longer-term experiences of female footballers throughout their careers on issues such as childcare, discrimination, abuse, violence and match fixing.

The data from the survey was analysed by a team at the University of Manchester, led by Dr Aristea Koukiadaki and Dr Geoff Pearson. They were also the authors of a 2016 Report on the working conditions in the men's game.

Their findings have revealed that almost 50 percent of female football players surveyed lacked a written contract, and half did not receive any income whatsoever from their club.

Even where players did possess a contract, this was usually less than two years' duration, giving them little employment security. Those who did get paid earned an average 600 U.S. dollars a month.

The findings show that playing football is rarely a full-time job for female players, even those classed as professional. The majority are studying, working, or both -- usually for over 20 hours a week - in addition to their football duties. Of players with children, 61 percent had no childcare support from the game or the state.

--IANS

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