The Ombudsman of Colombia, Iris Marín, rejected on Sunday the statements of the President of the Union Magdalena Club, Eduardo Dávila, who said that “football is not a sport for women.”
Marín described these words as an expression of “Violent machismo” And he added: “What Mr. Dávila is a form of inadmissible discrimination”he said in his X account.
The defender added that “as a partner of a Colombian professional football team, excluding women for the mere fact of being, it is closing the doors to the races of fans and soccer Players who aspire to play on equal terms in the Magdalena Union.”
The statements of the President of the Magdalena, Club of the Colombian First Division, made during an interview in a sports podcast, have generated a wave of criticism in the sector and in social networks.
The leader said that while he is in charge of the football club, there will be no women’s team, since he considers that it is not a sport for women.
“I do not agree with women’s football, that is not a sport for women, who are going to play tennis, volleyball, dominoes, but football no”said.
The feminist soccer coordinator also spoke about it, qualifying Dávila’s statements as “macho and discriminatory.”
“These words perpetuate stereotypes that have historically hindered the access and development of female talents in sport.”the organization said in a statement.
Women’s football in Colombia has reached significant achievements in recent years, including the classification to the quarterfinals in the 2023 Women’s Cup and runner -up in the Copa América Women in 2010, 2014 and 2022.
Players such as Mayra Ramírez, Catalina Usme, Daniela Montoya, Leicy Santos and Linda Caicedo have stood out in international leagues, demonstrating the talent and capacity of Colombian soccer players.
“It is time to catch up with gender equality. We strongly reject the statements of the owner of the Magdalena Union, Eduardo Dávila, with which he perpetuates the stereotypes and macho violence to which we have historically faced women,”the Ombudsman concluded.
