They’ve already spoken out in the US, Venezuela and Australia: A wave of sexual harassment complaints rocks football | football

from From the United States to Australia, passing through Venezuela, women’s football has been swept by winds of rebellion in recent days: players have taken the floor to denounce sexual harassment and assault.

after, after The United States pledged last week and Venezuela on Tuesday, Wednesday, to investigate allegations of sexual harassment made by former members of the national team.

“What if I get sexually harassed? Yes scared? Yes, step aside? Yes, if I see things that make me feel uncomfortable? Yes,” he told the newspaper Sydney Daily Telegraph The star of the national team, Lisa de Vanna, was crowned 150 times before retiring last month.

The 36-year-old footballer said so It was the subject of inappropriate suggestions at showers in the locker room and even sexual assaults. De Vana confirmed that he was a teenager at the time and that he didn’t know how to handle the situation, but he broke his silence because “this is still happening on all levels and it’s time to speak up”.

another former player, Raleigh Dobson, She said she was also bullied in her youth. “Not a lot of these problems are mentioned,” he said, noting that for his part he suffered psychological manipulations for sexual purposes.

Australian Football Reaction: “Australian football takes a zero-tolerance stance on any behavior that violates the standards and values ​​expected of people involved in the game,” adding that it is working with Sport Integrity Australia to launch an independent investigation into the game. The broader issue of abuse in the sport, When other similar situations occur in other disciplines such as gymnastics and swimming.

“Breaking the Silence”

In the United States, accusations of sexual assault have rocked the American Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) since last week, whose commissioner has resigned.

After coach Paul Riley was fired by the North Carolina Braves after allegations of sexual abuse by players at his former club, Portland Thorns second manager, Richard Burke, was fired by the Washington Spirit, following an NFL investigation into the verbal allegations. . and ethical harassment.

Washington Spirit President Steve Baldwin, who has been widely criticized for his handling of the scandal, resigned on Tuesday.

All matches scheduled for last weekend in the United States have been suspended. FIFA announced on Friday that it would also open an investigation.

In Venezuela, Atletico Madrid striker Denia Castellanos, who was among the top three players in the world in 2017, posted on social media a text signed by 24 players, in which they revealed that “One of our colleagues admitted to us that she had been sexually assaulted since she was 14 by the coach,” Facts dating back to 2014.

“We have decided to break the silence to prevent cases of physical, psychological and sexual abuse caused by football coach Kenneth Zseremita, which cause more casualties in women’s football and in the world,” the text adds.

Under the leadership of Zseremeta, who led the various categories of the women’s Vinotinto between 2008 and 2017, Venezuela twice won the South American U-17 Championship and qualified three times for the World Cup in this category, reaching the semi-finals in the 2013 and 2016.