Former FIFA council member Moya Dodd has said that the association’s appointment of supermodel Adriana Lima as its first global fan ambassador is “tone deaf” and sends an inappropriate message to players and supporters.
FIFA says that Lima, 41, will “develop, promote and participate in global initiatives” before the Women’s World Cup, which takes place in Australia and New Zealand later this year.
But Dodd, a member of the FIFA council between 2013 and 2016, has criticised FIFA for the hiring of Lima, suggesting the decision is “baffling”.
She said: “When a girl plays football, the world sees her differently.
“Instead of being complimented on her nice looks or her pretty dress, she is valued for her game-saving tackles and brilliant goal-scoring.
“She’s admired for what she can do, rather than how she looks, putting her on a more equal footing with her brothers in a way that can alter the whole trajectory of her life’s ambitions.
“In a FIFA World Cup year, that’s the message that should be ringing loud and true around the world. Where a supermodel fits into this is truly baffling.”
Dodd, 58, served on the committee for Australia and New Zealand’s successful bid to co-host the World Cup.
She believes that Lima’s public image was an “odd fit for an…
