Fifa’s appointment of supermodel Adriana Lima as its first global fan ambassador five months before the Women’s World Cup is “tone deaf”, says former Fifa council member Moya Dodd.
Brazilian Lima will “develop, promote and participate in global initiatives” before the World Cup, which starts on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
“When a girl plays football, the world sees her differently,” Dodd said.
“She’s admired for what she can do, rather than how she looks, putting her on a more equal footing with her brothers in a way that can alter the whole trajectory of her life’s ambitions. “In a Fifa World Cup year, that’s the message that should be ringing loud and true around the world. Where a supermodel fits into this is truly baffling.”
Dodd, a former Australia international who served on the committee for Australia and New Zealand’s successful bid to co-host the World Cup, said Lima’s public image was an “odd fit for an organisation that says it wants to empower girls and women”.
“I asked whether the Fifa ambassador will be delivering messages on body image, wellbeing and healthy eating,” Dodd added in a post on LinkedIn on Wednesday.
“What will this ambassador represent to the large and growing population of aspirational #womensfootball players and fans who love the game because it shows us what empowerment and equality can look like?”
In the statement announcing Lima’s appointment Fifa president Gianni Infantino said: “When you get to meet Adriana, you feel right away her warmth, kindness, and how approachable and passionate she is about our game.
“She lives and breathes ‘futebol’ and that is also why she can be an excellent link between Fifa and fans worldwide”.
(BBC Sport)