FIFA has suspended president of the Panama Football Federation (FEPAFUT) Manuel Arias after he called national team player Marta Cox “fat” and “out of shape”.
Arias has been banned from all football-related activity for six months and fined CHF 10,000 ($10,932, £8,981) after FIFA’s ethics committee found him to be in breach of the governing body’s code of ethics for his remarks in March 2024.
Arias called his comments “very unfortunate language” and “a very serious mistake”, and said he accepted the sanction.
Midfielder Cox, 27, had spoken to local media about a perceived lack of facilities in Panama in the wake of the country’s 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup group stage exit. In response, Arias was quoted by Reuters as telling reporters: “Marta Cox stopped to talk about our league. She’s out of shape, she’s fat, she couldn’t move on the pitch.
“It’s very easy to talk, but she doesn’t know anything about the Panama league for years, she doesn’t know what’s going on here.”
FIFA described the comments as “derogatory” and said Arias had been sanctioned due to breaches of article 24 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA code of ethics.
Article 24 refers to “protection of physical and mental integrity” and states: “Persons bound by this code shall…
 Manuel Arias after he called national team player Marta Cox “fat” and “out of shape”. Arias has been banned from all football-related activity for six months and fined CHF 10,000 ($10,932, £8,981) after FIFA’s ethics committee found him to be in breach of the governing body’s code of ethics for his remarks in March 2024. Arias called his comments “very unfortunate language” and “a very serious mistake”, and said he accepted the sanction. Midfielder Cox, 27, had...){kind=link}