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He was perhaps, as interpreted by one journalist, talking about a future in which the players will not be reduced to their appearance, in which women in the whole world can play without repression and in which women start finding their way into institutions to take up key positions.
Fifa.com says for over a decade, many of the most important figures in football have attended the annual International Football Arena (IFA) conference to exchange information and discuss pertinent football matters.

The sport’s global leaders met for the first time in Zurich in 1999, and since 2007, the IFA conference has also taken place in Asia (2007/08 IFA Conference in Beijing, 2009 IFA Conference in Kuala Lumpur and 2010/11 IFA Round Table in New Delhi).
Once again representatives from 28 countries convened in Zurich on 7 and 8 November 2011 to discuss the beautiful game, with women’s football also on this year’s agenda.
Fifa Head of Women’s Competitions Tatjana Haenni, Swiss international Lara Dickenmann, DFB Wirtschaftsdienste GmbH Managing Director Ulrich Wolter and president of FC Zurich Ancillo Canepa all spoke about the distinctions, beauty and uniqueness of the women’s game, all in the spirit of: “This is why we love women’s football — and why we are investing in it.”

“Do you really know what women’s football is all about?” asked Haenni as she began her speech on the development of the women’s game. How do you picture it in your head when you talk about it? Do you think it’s a new sport? If so, you’d be wrong! Women’s football has been played since the end of the 19th century, start of the 20th century.”
That said, much has changed even over the past 20 years, from the very first Fifa Women’s World Cup in China in 1991 to the 2011 edition in Germany just a few months ago. Twelve countries contested the 1991 tournament, in 2011 it was 16. The 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada will take the feminine side of the sport into a new dimension with 24 teams due to take part. While 110 matches were played in qualifying for China 1991, that figure rose to 355 for Germany 2011 which saw 63 million people tune in for the final between USA and Japan live on television.

“Germany 2011 was a major milestone for women’s football — but we are a long way from exhausting its potential just yet. There are cultural challenges, the role of women in society and aspects such as infrastructure and financial support which all need addressing. Fifa supports the development of women’s football worldwide and we hope many more will follow our lead,” Haenni explained to the delegates, emphasising her belief that women’s football requires its own structures.

And Fifa boldly declares in its website that pace, elegance, technique and dynamism are all characteristics widely associated with the women’s game — and embodied by Brazilian superstar Marta. The Fifa World Player represents what modern women’s football is all about. She is versatile, possesses incredible technique and elegance, not to mention lightning speed.
“These days, female athletes are strong personalities,” continued Haenni. “We get the feeling that the players have a lot of respect for one another, the officials and the referees. Women’s football is played in a very fair manner. The players don’t dive — yet — and they also don’t demand yellow cards — yet.”

“What women’s football needs most is more female decision-makers, more women in leading positions in football.”
These are some of the statements that Fifa has on its website on women’s football, and the beauty about Zimbabwe is that crucially, we have women in decision making positions in as far as women’s football is concerned.

The chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women’s Football, Mavis Gumbo, will go down in history books as one of the best administrators of the year in 2011. Since assuming office, she has raised the bar for women’s football, running around to source sponsorship for the national team, both senior and Under-20, and that is why our girls can beat South Africa, something which we could only dream of in the past.
The girls did us proud when they beat South Africa 3-0 in the Unity Cup in Harare on Thursday, and the result was because of good preparations which saw the girls go into camp two weeks before the game. Some of the girls also had an opportunity to travel to Egypt for a tournament, something which was unheard of in the past for women’s football.

The senior team also beat South Africa in the final of the Cosafa tournament, making a sound statement in that we are no pushovers in the region when it comes to women’s football, just like in men’s football.
Of course, there is a lot that was done by administrators of yester-year like the late Haverson Masilela of New Orleans and former chairperson of Women’s Football, Susan Chivizhe, but there is no doubt that Gumbo has raised the bar, making our girls proud of being part of the Mighty Warriors.

And for the first time, they were able to play before dignitaries like Vice President Joice Mujuru and for the first time, they were able to visit the State House, yes the State House, and shake hands with President Mugabe.

Head coach Rosemary Mugadza has also done well, fusing veterans and young players gradually to come up with a formidable team that made it to the All-Africa Games and of course, Bulawayo is proud to have someone who has also raised the bar in women’s football both as a player and coach, someone who now commands respect countrywide.There is a national league for women’s football that is crying out loud for sponsorship and the business fraternity must invest in the Girl Child, because there are rewards to be gained. It is a pity that women’s football hardly graces the back page, as it has been overshadowed by the juicy stories of Asiagate and Centralgate, among other men football stories, but a lot has been done and we say bravo to Gumbo and her team.It’s Christmas tomorrow and what a Christmas present we received from the girls when they beat South Africa on Unity Day. We loved it and we wish all the players, coaches, administrators in women’s football a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. And the same goes to all the folks in men’s football and followers of this weekly column. And just a reminder, don’t drink and drive. For comments and contributions

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