eBusiness Weekly
Chipo Sabeta
The elite of football gathered last week to crown a new football king, FC Platinum midfielder Rodwell Chinyengetere and honour the 11 finest local footballers at a special banquet in the capital.
The ceremony also honoured the best coach, club and referees of the year in the Castle Lager Premiership.
At a time when the place of women provokes so much societal debate, the Soccer Stars crowning moments have also stirred interests into the notion of celebrating their female counterparts.
How about placing local female football stars in the country’s history books? Is it not fair for women to fly in the same comfort as their male counterparts?
Last week was a new era in world of football when Ada Hegerberg (23) became the first woman to win the Ballon d’Or, alongside the traditional men’s honour.
The inaugural women’s prize picked up by the Lyon striker and a Norwegian player with almost 300 career goals, four French league titles and a hat-trick of Coupe de France trophies and of Champions League titles.
The prestigious prize used to honour the best male player since 1956 but for 2018, a women’s award was handed out along with the men’s with a global panel of expert journalists.
Growth of women soccer in Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe, the growth of Women’s Football Super League has been hampered by lack of sponsorship but against odds the senior women football team, the Mighty Warriors, broke barriers and forced their way into the history
books by qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics among other regional and international achievements.
Although equality in sport may seem trivial alongside the wider issues faced by women in society, how women view themselves, there has been different and interesting journeys taken into the game and sacrifices made by some professional players who are balancing as wives and mothers.
Former Mighty Warriors and Harare City Queens coach Rosemary Mugadza, said it is commendable for football authorities to honour female footballers, but admitted that equality issues will require “collective voices”.
“It will be a huge milestone for our sports leaders as they ensure and fight for equality in football if they are to level the playing field and honour women.
“It’s merely a logical evolution in football and the game is fast rising among women expanding rapidly. Our local league growth has been gradual with the emergence of a number of clubs which are increasingly well structured, the number of registered players, and the growing audience,” she said.
“They (men footballers) are the same as us, we are keen for mutual respect and honour although such efforts require collective efforts from all stakeholders. It will be wonderful to be involved in picking the best player of the season.”
Mugadza added: “Take a look at what happened at the FIFA awards.
“It was an amazing night for women in general and women who play football.
“I know its 2018 but at the same time it’s important to show what a big step forward it was for women’s football.”
Not much is being done
While there are plenty of good initiatives, from school to adulthood, Zimbabwe professional football and society may be not doing enough to engage women with sport and transform attitudes.
Zimbabwe Football Association Women’s league administrator, Theresa Maguraushe, argued that “money holds the power in football” and hence the need for big sponsorship in women football.
“It’s unfortunate, we cannot market ourselves due to lack of sponsorship. But on the other hand, every woman player has a responsibility to work hard and stay out of their comfort zone. Every day we have to deliver good football. so that in the end they can’t see through us, they have to see the value in it.
“It’s a step towards greater equality to see such an award, which is so important in the world of football, also be given to female players,” she said.
Mighty Warriors striker and Black Rhinos star Rutendo Makore, said celebrating female footballers will be a step forward for the sports fraternity and the nation at large.
Zimbabwe is a country that wants to see gender equality become the norm across all parts of society and such a decision will be a huge step forward in that journey.
“Women’s football is progressing and the inequalities should be reduced even if there is still progress to be made.
“I have always wanted to see a woman win prestigious awards. It will boost competition and confidence among female footballers,” she said.
Recently, Banyana were awarded a R2,4 million bonus by the South African Football Association (SAFA) for their performance at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) and qualifying for FIFA Women’s World Cup.
