MADRID, March 9 (EUROPA PRESS) –
FUTPRO, the union specialized solely in women’s football, recalls that March 8, International Women’s Day, is an idea to “highlight the achievements and work of the players”, but asks to “continue working daily” to improve their conditions and that they can be “professionals” in a definitive way.
“Women’s Day, celebrated every March 8, is a good time to highlight the achievements and work of the players who continue to fight to make women’s football visible and improve conditions, but work must continue daily so that these Conditions improve and the soccer players of our country can dedicate themselves to what they really are, to be professional soccer players,” FUTPRO said in a statement on Thursday.
The union chaired by Amanda Gutiérrez assures that it continues “in its fight to defend and improve labor rights and welfare
of the players, promoting change and evolution in the world of football”.
“The situation of female soccer players has improved in recent years thanks to their work, but also to the support and interest of the people who, more and more, follow women’s soccer. Also thanks to many organizations and public institutions that have supported and committed to women’s football. There is still a long way to go, but a general positive evolution is beginning to be observed”, he celebrates.
FUTPRO stresses that the athletes have made “many efforts” to be “increasingly recognized and heard” in Spain and that it is “aware of the current needs of the players” so it will continue working “to reach a point of equality, improving their working conditions and thus managing to generate change and evolution in the world of football”.
In this sense, several players from the Finetwork Liga F give their opinion on the current moment of women’s football in Spain. Irene Paredes, from FC Barcelona, acknowledges that “society is increasingly aware” and that people see them “much more”, so she is clear that more resources must be “allocated to make the league more attractive and continue to grow “. “But above all, continue to reach viewers so they can enjoy our football,” she adds.
Maitane López, from Atlético de Madrid, points out that he is a footballer “24 hours a day, seven days a week” and that for this reason he has to “take care” of many aspects such as his “nutrition, physical or mental health”, which implies “a spent”. Thus, he considers “a minimum wage essential” and insists on having “a Collective Agreement worthy of the level” of League F.
“We are professionals and we behave as such, and, of course, we expect fair remuneration for our work. The justification that years ago the situation was very different and growth has been exponential is not professional. It has been thanks to the work of athletes, ‘staff’ and many people who have dedicated their time and their lives without receiving compensation in return. Precariousness is not a justification, we demand a fair agreement,” demands Esther Martín, from Levante Las Planas.
Elba Vergès, from Deportivo Alavés, sees that they are “closer to being able to have a self-sufficient league” and “at the level” of the soccer players, but asks to end “excuses”, while Garazi Murua, from Athletic Club, speaks of the “almost always uncertain future”. “It is transcendental to have an agreement that protects us and that protects our future so that we only worry about giving our best level on the field and being able to dedicate the maximum possible resources to our sports preparation,” he remarks.
“We should be proud to have many of the great players in the world, but above all, the barriers that we soccer players encounter every day should be eliminated so that our country continues to contribute great athletes to the world of soccer,” said Misa.
Rodriguez, from Real Madrid.
Finally, Andrea Pereira, who left FC Barcelona and went to play for Mexican America, confesses that from the outside she sees “all the problems” that exist in Spain “to make women’s football grow.” “I don’t understand it. Here in Mexico, the league is only six years old and it is spectacular, a great investment has been made to make the sport visible and attract spectators. In Spain we are lucky to have great players on the international scene and we must continue fighting to get our league to make a leap in quality”, he says.