WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of nine U.S. senators – led by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – renewed their call for organizers of the 2015 International Association of Federation Football (FIFA) Women’s World Cup to work with players to reach an agreement on the playing surface. Following a meeting to discuss a compromise proposal between players and FIFA officials in Zurich this week, the senators reaffirmed their support for the players in a letter to FIFA President Sepp Blatter signed by Brown, U.S. Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Robert P. Casey Jr (D-PA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). The group previously sent a letter urging FIFA to allow players to play on a natural grass field instead of on artificial turf.

“FIFA literally is requiring female athletes to perform on an unequal playing field – one that it would not let men play upon,” the senators wrote. “This is about more than the playing surface on which soccer matches are played: it is about the message we are sending to women and girls around the world. We are proud of our players, and relegating them to fields that men would not play upon sends the wrong message to them and the world. We urge you to continue discussions with the players, work to compromise in good faith, and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

A group of more than 60 top international women’s soccer players have filed a lawsuit against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association for gender discrimination, citing that the men’s FIFA World Cup competition has never been played on artificial turf. Artificial turf increases the risk of injury and overheating, and its surface changes the way the game is played. The players are requesting the same natural grass fields afforded to male World Cup participants. More than 13.5 million Americans watched the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final and this year, the U.S. Women’s soccer team is ranked first in the world.

Today’s letter follows one sent in November 2014 by a bipartisan group of 13 members led by Brown calling on FIFA Federation to reconsider the playing surface for the upcoming World Cup series in Canada. The senators also sent a letter to Sunil Gulati, President of the United States Soccer Federation, urging him to use his position as a member of FIFA’s Executive Committee to support fair playing conditions and to ensure that players who have expressed concern about playing on turf fields do not face retaliation.

Full text of today’s letter is below.

January 15, 2015

 

Sepp Blatter

President

International Association of Federation Football (FIFA)

FIFA-Strasse 20

P.O. Box 80344

Zurich, Switzerland

 

Dear Mr. Blatter:

In November, we wrote expressing our concerns about the International Federation of Association Football’s (FIFA) treatment of female soccer players. While the Men’s World Cup has always been played on natural grass, FIFA plans to host the 2015 Women’s World Cup on artificial turf. Turf is an inferior surface that poses safety risks and fundamentally alters the way the sport is played.

Remarkably, FIFA has insisted on using artificial turf for the Women’s World Cup despite the players’ sustained objections. We believe that FIFA’s approach is sending the wrong message: FIFA literally is requiring female athletes to perform on an unequal playing field – one that it would not let men play upon.

We are writing to once again ask that you address this problem in good faith. We understand that the players traveled to Zurich in order to present FIFA with a compromise proposal whereby the players would withdraw their complaint before the Human Rights Tribunal in Ontario, Canada, if FIFA would agree to host just four games on natural grass.

This is about more than the playing surface on which soccer matches are played: it is about the message we are sending to women and girls around the world. The United States Women’s National Team has been an inspiration for our country. These incredible female athletes are talented and hard-working, and they endeavor to hold themselves to the highest standards of sportsmanship and teamwork. We are proud of our players, and relegating them to fields that men would not play upon sends the wrong message to them and the world. 

We urge you to continue discussions with the players, work to compromise in good faith, and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

_____________________________                                      _____________________________

Sherrod Brown                                                                        Charles E. Schumer

U.S. Senator                                                                            U.S. Senator

 

_____________________________                                      _____________________________

Patty Murray                                                                           Kirsten Gillibrand

U.S. Senator                                                                            U.S. Senator

 

____________________________                                      _____________________________

Edward Markey                                                                      Barbara Boxer

U.S. Senator                                                                            U.S. Senator                          


 

_____________________________                                      _____________________________

Robert P. Casey Jr.                                                                 Richard Blumenthal                           

U.S. Senator                                                                            U.S. Senator

 

_____________________________                                     

Robert Menendez                                                                               

U.S. Senator                                                                           

 

Cc:

Mr. Sunil Gulati

President, United States Soccer Federation

1801 South Prairie Ave.

Chicago, IL 60616

 

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