Uefa boycott right thing for future of game – Bronze

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Uefa boycott right thing for future of game – Bronze

Lucy Bronze looking on in an England kitImage source, Getty Images
ByCharlotte Coates

BBC Sport journalist
  • Published

England defender Lucy Bronze says a Uefa boycott of Fifa competitions would be the “right thing” for the future of the game, despite the impact it could have on women’s football.

After Fifa president Gianni Infantino announced a plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors, European football’s 55 member associations voted to boycott all Fifa competitions until the proposals were dropped.

The plans have since been aborted – with Infantino apologising for his “errors” – but in a statement on Thursday, Uefa said the boycott could still go ahead.

Women’s football would be the first to be impacted if Uefa’s stance is upheld, with the Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup due to start on 5 September.

Six European teams – England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and hosts Poland – are scheduled to play in the tournament.

“I think the players who play in those competitions, the European players, we stand by our beliefs and what the right thing is for our game,” said Bronze, who was speaking in New Zealand on Chelsea’s pre-season tour.

She added: “And if that means boycotting competitions, then that has to happen.

“It’s for the future of the game and not just for me today and tomorrow.

“It’s for all the little girls or little boys who come after us to make sure that they’re in a good place when the game’s moving forward in decades to come, not just tomorrow.”

In October, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland all have qualifiers for next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Should they not feature in the play-offs because of Uefa’s boycott, European teams – including defending champions Spain – would not be able to participate in the tournament, which starts in June.

Also in October, the Under-17 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to take place in Morocco.

Speaking to BBC Sport last week, former England defender Anita Asante said: “The first casualties will be women’s football tournaments.

“If this isn’t resolved by the time of England’s qualifiers, then the impact could be huge and it is already a busy schedule.”

Baroness Campbell, former Football Association director of women’s football, said it was “tragic” that women’s football could be first to be affected.

The English FA has sent a letter withdrawing its support for Infantino, while Wales, Albania and Croatia are among other individual associations to have turned their back on the 56-year-old.

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