FIFA president calls for sexier uniforms for women
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Sports Writer January 16, 2004 LONDON (AP) -- The president of world soccer suggested that female players wear more revealing uniforms to bring more attention to their sport.
One English player called the suggestion by FIFA president Sepp Blatter ridiculous' and irresponsible.'
Blatter said women's soccer needed different sponsors from the men's game and should try to attract fashion and cosmetics companies by featuring ``more feminine uniforms.'
Tighter shorts, for example,' Blatter told the Swiss newspaper SonntagsBlick. In volleyball the women also wear other uniforms than the men. Pretty women are playing football today. Excuse me for saying that.'
Brandi Chastain caused a stir at the Women's World Cup in the United States in 1999 when she removed her shirt in celebration of a title-winning victory over China to reveal a sports bra.
England goalkeeper Pauline Cope called Blatter's suggestion ``typical of a bloke.'
To say we should play football in hot pants is plain ridiculous,' she said. It's completely irresponsible for a man in a powerful position to make comments like this.'
FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said Friday that Blatter never mentioned the word ``hot pants.'
The remarks were by no means meant to be offensive -- not at all,' Herren said. Whatever he said, it was more a general remark, 'Let's take a look at that.' But it's not the ultimate recipe to salvage the women's game because he went on to say women's football has established itself and it has a future.'
Swiss captain Evelyn Zimmermann and Norwegian players Lise Klaveness and Solveig Gulbrandsen also rejected Blatter's fashion advice.
``You can't compare us with volleyball players and, apart from everything else, those shorts are uncomfortable,' Zimmermann said.
Klaveness said soccer is about sport, not sex.
``If the crowd only wants to come and watch models then they should go and buy a copy of Playboy,' she said.
Added Gulbrandsen: ``If I wanted to wear a bikini, I would have chosen to play beach volleyball.'
Marianne Spacey, manager of the London club Fulham Ladies, said Blatter's comments should be taken seriously because of his position, but some of her players reacted with laughter.
It does surprise me because people might actually listen because he's such a powerful person in the game of football,' Spacey said. For people in the women's game it's caused uproar and it provided a few chuckles in training, that's for sure.'
Updated on Friday, Jan 16, 2004 12:11 pm EST
