Hiwot Dangiso came from Hawassa town, SNNP state, plays at skimmer position for women football team of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. She told The Ethiopian Herald that women football has faced various challenges during the past many years in Ethiopia. Due to this reason, the sector has not been properly developed to its expected level.
According to Hiwot, existence of negative attitude towards women is not only in football sector but also their other activities were limited during the reign of past nations.
Before started playing football, she had never been absent from stadiums in order to watched men football matches. She used to fetch ball and give it to the players when the ball is outside the game area. It is the main inspiration for her that to develop passion for football game.
However, her family was always sad and did not feel comfort especially when looking her wearing shorts being influenced by cultural bias. But she continued attending the stadium although flogged by her father so far. Confronting her father’s sticks, she was playing at school level instead of stopping. She experienced hard football life during her early childhood, she said.
As to her, she was paid 200 Birr per month when started football. But the salary has increased to 40,000 Birr at the moment. It indicates that football is the sources of income in addition to enjoyment though it is not compatible with men players. It is not merely increment in the salary; society’s attitude towards female football has also grown up.
However, it does not mean that society’s attitude for women’s football has reached to expected level. Rather, it is appreciable than the past times.
If better attention is given for women football, the country becomes competitive in the sector like other countries. Completion of fourth rank for Ethiopian women national team by participating on African women football competition recently, indicates that the team is hopeful and will perform better under good opportunity. Therefore, giving attention to women football is significant for development of the sport in general and women football in particular, she suggested.
Women’s football club of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and Ethiopian Women’s National football Team Coach, Berhanu Gizaw, for his part said that the existence of social and cultural problems has hindered women football development in Ethiopia until now.
Particularly, number of coaches in women football was not more than four during the past 20 years. In contrast, number of coaches in men football is more than enough. It is the main reason for transferring coaches from men football to women football so as to developing the sector.
According to Berhanu, due to lack of hope, females have been migrating during the past many years when completed grade 8th education. But following consecutive activities done during the past few years, women began to change their life and society’s attitude as well. For example, the salary of one player has accelerated from 45,000 Birr to 50,000 Birr per month which is dramatic change from earlier of 200 Birr.
He recalled that he encountered many challenges in his work experience especially when coaching women’s team. Among the challenges are: domination of men always holding the upper positions in the sport arena and unwillingness of players’ families to let them during the training periods.
In relation to this, he remembers an incidence in which one player was injured during training period and then her family became very angry and even wanted to kill him. Fortunately, some years later, she has become wonderful player and earned satisfying monthly salary. As a result, her father has changed his mind and approached him to ask forgiveness and express gratitude instead of killing. This shows that raising society’s awareness towards women football highly contributes for the development of the sector, he noted.
Although, the current attitude of society towards women football is appreciable, it remains more to be done. Tragically, some women football clubs that have been participating in Ethiopian Premier League are dying out because of budget deficit according to the clubs’ owners. But their reason is not logical; rather they have paid low attention to the sector, the coach said.
On the other hand, some clubs such as Mekele, Bahire Dar and Facil city are doing better in embracing women football teams. These clubs are participating in the matches of the national league at the moment.
Clubs should be accountable, work hard from grass root level, pass through challenges and appoint skilled manpower to the position. Doing so, they play indispensable role in women’s sport development and the nation becomes competitive in the sector, Berhanu advised.
Mekonen Kurru, Technical Development Director at Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) on his part said that lack of awareness restricted competitions to domestic level. Besides, cultural taboo becomes serious challenge in Ethiopia impeding creation of competitive women football players across the country.
According to Mekonen, without starting from the grass root level, expecting sport development is unwise. Therefore, decisive measures should be taken in the football arena starting from embracing children in projects and nurturing them to professional players; augmenting role of coaches and administrative staff.
Although Ethiopian women football was started 50 years ago, it is not well advanced. Some unscientific gender based believes have contributed for this. Following gathering of passionate players and engagement of committed coaches, Ethiopian women football has revived again since some 20 years ago. As a result of this commitment, number of clubs has increased from seven to more than 22 in high level competition leagues.
Encouraging inclusive participation, setting school based sport program, preparing strategic football plan, and outsourcing (privatizing) the sector, will play crucial role for the nation’s women football sport development, Mekonen underscored.
The Ethiopian Herald December24, 2019
BY MESERET BEHAILU
