Fifa nomination of supermodel Adriana Lima is ‘bewildering’, says former Council member Dodd

FIFA’s appointment of supermodel Adriana Lima as global fan ambassador in a Women’s World Cup year is “baffling” and sends the wrong message to players and fans alike, said former FIFA Council member Moya Dodd.

The Brazilian will “develop, promote and participate in various global initiatives” in her role as the first global ambassador for FIFA fans, the governing body said in a statement on Monday.

Australia’s Dodd, a former international player who served on Australia and New Zealand’s successful bid to co-host the World Cup, said Lima’s appointment less than five months before the tournament was “deafening”.

“At first, the model’s public image seemed like an odd fit for an organization that claims to want to empower girls and women,” wrote Dodd, one of the first women to serve on FIFA’s governing body, in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday. .

I asked if the FIFA ambassador will send messages about body image, well-being and healthy eating.

“What will this ambassador represent to the large and growing population of aspiring women’s soccer players and fans who love the game because it shows us what empowerment and equality can look like?”

Dodd, a FIFA Council member from 2013 to 2016, also referred to comments made by Lima in a 2006 interview with GQ magazine, in which she said abortion was “a crime”. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lima publicist Laurent Boye said the model’s stance had changed in the 17 years since she made those comments.

“We can proudly say that Ms. Lima has been promoting a healthy lifestyle for several years and, like many people, her position on many LGBTQIA+ and women’s issues has evolved and she is considered an ally,” Boye said in a statement.

Dodd, a prominent advocate of women’s football, represented Australia 24 times from 1986 to 1995 and played in the FIFA women’s tournament in 1988, three years before the inaugural Women’s World Cup.

“When a girl plays football, the world sees her differently,” said Dodd. “Rather than being praised for her good looks or her beautiful dress, she is valued for her brilliant saves and goals.”

“She is admired for what she can do rather than what she looks like, putting her on par with her brothers in a way that could alter the entire trajectory of her life ambitions.”

“In a FIFA World Cup year, this is the message that should be ringing loud and true around the world. Where a supermodel fits into this is really baffling.”

Dodd recently criticized FIFA for its lack of understanding of the women’s game amid reports that Saudi Arabia’s tourism authority would sponsor the tournament from July 20 to August 20.