International Association of Federation Football (FIFA)

Posted by esogoldforsale on January 16th, 2015

A group of U.S. senators, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, have sent a letter to Cheap FUT Coins President Sepp Blatter urging his organization to play this year's Women's World Cup on grass, not artificial turf.

The tournament, which will be held from June 6 to July 5 in Canada, is scheduled to be played at venues with turf fields. U.S. women's soccer star Abby Wambach and other players have spoken out against the decision to play games on turf, saying FIFA isn't treating them equally.

Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Schumer, D-N.Y., along with other senators, have previously called on FIFA to play the World Cup games on grass. They have also urged United States Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati, who is a member of FIFA's executive committee, to advocate for fair playing conditions.

But so far, FIFA hasn't reversed its decision to hold tournament matches on turf fields.

"The field is a professional soccer player's workplace, and she deserves the same conditions afforded to male players," Gillibrand said Thursday. "The Women's World Cup features the most elite female players in the sport, and it is outrageous that they would be subject to a lesser quality artificial turf. I urge FIFA to do what is right, by allowing our female professional athletes the same opportunity to play on grass that male players are afforded."

Using turf fields for a men's or women's World Cup match would be a first. The previous Women's World Cup, held in 2011, was played on grass fields in Germany.

Schumer said FIFA forcing women's players to compete on turf fields is an "egregious error."

"FIFA should not have one set of rules and standards for the men’s World Cup, which for good reason, bans the use of artificial turf, and a different one for the women’s World Cup, which allows it," Schumer said. "At the elite world-class level, soccer is best played on grass, and FIFA should reach an agreement with players from our women’s national team that restores professionalism and equality to the tournament."

Here is the text of the letter sent by Gillibrand, Schumer and U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, Robert Casey, Edward Markey and Patty Murray:

Sepp Blatter

President

International Association of Federation Football (FIFA)

FIFA-Strasse 20

P.O. Box 80344

Zurich, Switzerland

Dear Mr. Blatter:

In November, we wrote expressing our concerns about the International Federation of Association Football’s (FIFA) treatment of female soccer players. While the Men’s World Cup has always been played on natural grass, FIFA plans to host the 2015 Women’s World Cup on artificial turf. Turf is an inferior surface that poses safety risks and fundamentally alters the way the sport is played.

Remarkably, FIFA has insisted on using artificial turf for the Women’s World Cup despite the players’ sustained objections. We believe that FIFA’s approach is sending the wrong message: FIFA literally is requiring female athletes to perform on an unequal playing field – one that it would not let men play upon.

We are writing to once again ask that you address this problem in good faith. We understand that the players traveled to Zurich in order to present FIFA with a compromise proposal whereby the players would withdraw their complaint before the Human Rights Tribunal in Ontario, Canada, if FIFA would agree to host just four games on natural grass.

This is about more than the playing surface on which soccer matches are played: it is about the message we are sending to women and girls around the world. The United States Women’s National Team has been an inspiration for our country. These incredible female athletes are talented and hard-working, and they endeavor to hold themselves to the highest standards of sportsmanship and teamwork. We are proud of our players, and relegating them to fields that men would not play upon sends the wrong message to them and the world.

We urge you to continue discussions with the players, work to compromise in good faith, and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.see more at:http://www.runmmo.com/FIFA-15.Coins