The Matildas return to Australia for the first time since March 2020 but not under the circumstances they would have expected.
Women’s football has been in the spotlight after former Matilda Lisa De Vanna publicly aired allegations of historical abuse as well as alleging a continuing toxic culture in the game from the grassroots to the elite in The Daily Telegraph.
Other former players and teammates of De Vanna’s have come out in support of her allegations.
Rhali Dobson has also alleged she was the target of predatory behaviour, while former Matilda Renaye Iserief has detailed allegations of a culture that included fat shaming, abusive language, and mistreatment of athletes from high performance coaches.
PFA co-chief executive Beau Busch confirmed to ABC’s RN Breakfast that other players have come forward, utilising the reporting framework and support available through the union since De Vanna’s story was published on October 5.
(Photo by Getty Images)
The pile of allegations has seen Football Australia fast track an agreement with Sports Integrity Australia (SIA) to set up an independent complaint management process. This ensures the governing body will not investigate itself.
The framework will see SIA consider “complaints and reports on a range of allegations including abuse, bullying, child abuse, child grooming, endangering the safety of a child, harassment, sexual misconduct, unlawful discrimination, victimisation, and vilification at the elite levels of Australian football,” a Football Australia press release explained.
The elite level of football only encompasses FA’s national teams – both men’s and women’s – as well as the A-League Men, A-League Women, and A-League Youth.
While the community’s response to these allegations has been one of shock, an element of it has turned abusive itself. With some of the allegations involving women being alleged perpetrators, that has been extrapolated and contorted into a torrent of homophobic abuse directed at current and former Matildas.
This abuse reached fever pitch after the Matildas released a collective statement as well as brief individual statements on their social media, which received criticism for appearing to dismiss De Vanna’s experiences by highlighting their own positive ones.
Current Matilda Tameka Yallop told AAP that the allegations have caused a lot of reflection among the team.
Tameka Yallop. (Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)
“To me, the allegations were surprising, given that I have been in the environment for a long time. But in saying that, everyone has a different experience and no two experiences are the same,” Yallop told AAP.
“So we obviously support her (De Vanna) in everything that she wants to come forward with and we are happy that she’s finally felt that she can come forward, and we want to promote that as well from a safe environment, not just for retired players or current players but also for future players too.
“So if anything it’s prompted us to work harder in making sure that it’s a safe environment.
“But for me, I’ve always had a positive experience and the Matildas are a second family for me.”
Beyond the allegations, this series also exists in unique circumstances.
COVID has meant that a game on home soil has not been possible for nearly two years. This series was only greenlit after strict COVID-safe protocols were created and approved by the federal and New South Wales governments.
(Photo by Getty Images)
As such it is unlikely that players, many of whom have been away from friends and family in Australia for over a year, will be unable to see or spend time with their loved ones.
On the field, a loss to Ireland last month was a come down following the team’s historic showing at Tokyo 2020.
Although several key players were missing against Ireland, including Ellie Carpenter, Emily van Egmond, Kyah Simon and Caitlin Foord, the defeat was the Matildas’ fifth in six friendlies this year.
Fans and players alike will want victories, least of all because of the great rivalry between Australia and Brazil.
It will also be Tony Gustavsson’s first match in charge of the Matildas in Australia with his excitement palpable in videos posted to social media. There is no doubt he will want to leave fans with a positive result.
And with the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup just around the corner, and the 2023 Women’s World Cup inching ever closer, the balance between preparation and immediate results continues to be a fine one.
Grem
Roar Rookie
How good to sit back and watch this game on 10. And what a bonus to have Tara back.
Simoc
Guest
We see woman in England and here come out with a list of grievances when they get dropped or left out of teams. They don't seem to be to serious compared with the ordeals put up with by nearly every female gymnast here and in the USA or the swimmers. I think with the structure being put in place hopefully these problems can be nipped early in future, and the unsuitable people removed from the sports radar.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I feel for De Vanna and the girls that have come forward. The trash who are responsible should be banned from every aspect of the game for life. Be it on the pitch or off it. There is no time that this could be considered acceptable. Out game is not perfect, but we don't deal in the dark deeds committed in the backyard codes. As for the lasses' game tonight. This team is a cracker and Klopp's statement in the presser about Man Utd applies here, the lo get they are together the better they'll get. We just need the supporters to get out to the game. Come on Matildas, there's nothing more enjoyable than seeing Marta in a filthy mood after the game
c
Roar Rookie
you're spot on mate nothing new here
Saffi
Roar Rookie
Well Marissa, as some other commentators have said, Lisa appears to be talking of incidences a long time ago. The other former players are also talking of an old culture. I love Lisa De Vanna and also think she should have been in the Matilda’s at the Olympics, and would have won a medal. She wasn’t picked and we missed out. But we need to move on. So, while I agree that it all needs investigating, why this sudden huge media and public interest when most of the commentators, ABC news, News Corp and The Age wouldn’t even know who Lisa De Vanna is? It’s sensationalism and it’s anti-soccer. The biggest headlines we get of our sport is this stuff. Are these same media outlets spending minutes promoting the Matilda’s v Brazil? Are they interviewing and leading with interviews of Sam or Ellie? No. Any talk will only be about the next negative sensational accusation about Aussie soccer. So, by all means conduct the investigation, but please let’s highlight the here and now, our fantastic, talented and affirmative women’s national soccer team. Let’s move on.
Tigertown
Guest
Once upon a time, there was a game called football... Yesterday, it was a contact sport, where players wear smeared in mud & most were heckled by the opposing supporters. Today, strikers lazily wait to be fed the ball, dirty jerseys have been swapped for Insta-worthy garments, & the crowd’s actions are restricted by the marshals. Yesterday, coaches sprayed their team members after a game, & the local paper got the exclusive interviews. Today, players rate their mentors with surveys, & then spread the information online. Hi, I’m (insert nickname). I’m an old-school competitor. Love my country, love my footy. Looking forward to this weekend. Hi, I’m (insert pronoun). I’m in sports entertainment. I’m a nomadic, Nike athlete. Buy my ghost-written book today. Times have changed. Culture has changed.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
We need to be careful about mixing up what appear to be two different categories of complaint. One is a complaint about sexual predatory behaviour by senior players against junior players, in the case of De Vanna, she was 17 at the time of the alleged incident, and it occurred some 20 years earlier. I would like to think that systems and procedures are now in place to safeguard the welfare of young players as they transition from junior teams to senior teams. The other complaint about "fat shaming" involves the high performance staff. In the latter, this appears to have occurred during a period of increasing professionalism, so all sorts of testing and prodding would have commenced, including such things as skin fold tests. I'm guessing such a complaint is a product of that age, and everyone would now be far better prepared to undertake these sorts of tests with more sensitivity. One can picture a situation where everyone is returning to pre-season training, post festive season, everyone's in a good mood, laughing, joking, first thing that happens is the skin fold tests, and the standard joke might have been: oh we know who's had too much turkey and pudding! Some might laugh that off, others might take great offence.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Tony Gustavsson leaving Lisa De Vanna out of the Olypmic team was a huge error on his part. I believe with her in the squad we may have come home with a medal instead of a lowly fourth in the Olympics. She had a part to play as an impact player coming off the bench for the last 20 minutes. With her technical qualities---let alone her will to win were gravely missed in the closing stages of the matches against the US and Sweden. Lisa, with her relentless pressure on and off the ball could have turned the match in Australia's favour.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
I disagree it doesn't matter what sport its in the mens NRL its an outlier. Hopoate and his thumb was considered the biggest hoot at training.
chris
Guest
Whilst there is an element of truth in what LDV has stated, a lot of it has been blown out of all proportion. Women's sports is different to mens sports in the way players behave, both to each other and with their coaches. It doesn't matter if its tennis, gymnastics, athletics, swimming or football, there are stories of se xual predatory behaviour, fat shaming etc. I have been around womens football for a long time and at levels where I have coached and am coaching elite players. Are there these sorts of behaviours present? Of course there are. But they are isolated and are not systemic or endemic. Boys/men deal with issues differently to how women deal with things. Boys usually settle it with a push and shove and maybe the occasional fight. Girls do it differently and resort to more offhanded, less direct ways.