Ireland’s women have hit out at the country’s football governing body over the “humiliating” conditions they are subjected to as part of the national team.
Fourteen members of the team – including 2015 FIFA Puskas award nominee Stephanie Roche – held a press conference on Tuesday where they were joined by representatives from the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland [PFAI].
The players claimed on international duty they are often forced to use public toilets to change into Republic of Ireland tracksuits, which they have to share with the country’s junior teams.
“It’s humiliating,” Ireland skipper Emma Byrne said.
“What we are fighting for here is equality. We are fighting for the future of women’s football.”
Striker Aine O’Gorman added: “These are basics. Changing in a public toilet is just disrespectful. We are standing tall together.”
The players had also expressed their unhappiness that they receive no payment when playing for Ireland, with players often forced to take unpaid leave from work in order to play for their country.
Midfielder Karen Duggan said some members of the squad forego a sixth of their annual earnings in order to make themselves available to play for Ireland.
“€5000 or €6000 soon can become €40,000 [during the course of a player’s career). That may not sound like much to the FAI but it’s so important to us.
“It’s a huge honour to play for your country but sometimes we have to think about ourselves too.”
The players said the Football Association of Ireland have repeatedly refused to engage with the PFAI over their concerns, insisting upon only dealing directly with the players themselves.
“We’re footballers, we’re here to play football,” said Roche. “There’s not any of us that are skilled negotiators and to ask us to do that is unfair.”
The players’ PFAI representative Stuart Gilhooly indicated the players could boycott Monday’s friendly with Slovakia, which is supposed to be recently-appointed manager Colin Bell’s first home game in charge of Ireland.
“There’s a simple opportunity here for the FAI to ensure that it goes ahead,” Gilhooly said. “If they want to avoid that situation, they should pick up the phone.”
Gilhooly added: “The women’s team are not even second class citizens, they are fifth class. They are the dirt off the FAI’s shoe.
“We regard this as the Roy Keane moment for women’s teams. He made a stance 15 years ago, the difference here is that it’s a whole team doing it.”
The FAI said in a statement: “The Football Association of Ireland is deeply disappointed that members of the Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team have threatened to withdraw from playing for their country in the upcoming match versus Slovakia on April 10, 2017.
“The ultimatum by the players concerned comes in spite of repeated invitations from the FAI to the players to discuss clear and tangible financial offers for the payment and compensation of members of the squad.
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