I read the news today, oh boy. How's the mood at FIFA at the moment?
A question i've been asked a few times over weekend & today.
On Friday, I passed a BBC journalist on my way home, whom i've known a long time. He asked me this. Then said: "We know the majority of people at FIFA are normal, just going about their daily jobs, doing positive work." It's true.
So, what was FIFA like today? My first 'event' started at 9.30am. I spent 90 minutes there. And it stayed with me all day. Approximately 16 women gathered in a meeting room. On Friday, it was the media working room. Today, it was where 16 mentors met, who are taking part in the first ever FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme.
My job was easy. To sit at the back of the room, take a few photos, and post some tweets on our @FIFAWWC Twitter account.
I arrived. And then something weird happened. Wonderfully weird! The mentors were asked by the external company organising the #FIFAFLDP , to get into small groups. An ice-breaker, to re-introduce themselves to each other. They were then asked what they hoped to get out of the forthcoming week. How were they feeling? Suddenly, two women linked arms, and started to sing. "When you're smiling, when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you."
I looked around. I wanted what they'd had in their coffee! Then the room laughed. "Why did you choose to sing?" they were asked. "Because we're really happy to be a part of this programme. To pass on our experience. To hopefully help encourage more women to pursue their goals and dreams of progressing their careers in football."
Sounds cheesy doesn't it? But it was 100% genuine. And it was infectious. And this was a programme organised by FIFA. You know...that company in the news all the time.
Over the weekend I read an article by Philippe Auclair. It went over all the recent news. But somewhere in the middle, it made an unfashionable point. That hammering FIFA has become such a special sport in itself, that to acknowledge publicly it does anything good, is to invite ridicule. To invite accusations of being a FIFA stooge. And so on.
Mentors on this FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme include former international players. Coaches: Hope Powell; Hesterine de Reus; Heidi Store. Two current ExCo members. The MLS Director of Social Media. A former board member of Galatasaray. And someone who has received the MBE for their services to women's football in England.
One of those women had her story explained to the group today by Moya Dodd. Moya, as some people may know, is a former Australian international footballer. She's a Lawyer. And she is also currently making her voice heard in and around FIFA, demanding the current Reform Taskforce take seriously, a target of 30 per cent for women’s participation on boards and committees and in senior management roles. You can read more here.
The woman Moya introduced, is a South-African called Fran Hilton Smith. I've met her a few times. Apparently, she plays in South Africa's top jazz band. And. Her story is amazing.
She was a teacher for 20 years. During apatheid, she ran football courses for white, and black children. Together. And she spread her love of the game, as Moya explained "more or less, from the back of her car." Then, something happened. She was invited to become a FIFA Instructor. She got a FIFA tracksuit. And that tracksuit suddenly opened some serious doors. Yes....a tracksuit.
Since then, she currently serves as the South African FA Technical Director. She founded South Africa's High Performance Centre for Girls hosted by the University of Pretoria. And she has been acknowledged by the SA State Presidential Award for the development of women's football in South Africa. Today, she was just bloody happy to be among people like her. People who had fought. Battled. Never listened to those who told her: "You can't do that." And now she believes that these women, together with FIFA, can mentor 35 young women from all around the world, and hopefully help them blaze a similar trail to her.
To be fair, some media today asked about this programme. Hopefully more will want to find out about it over the rest of the week too. If you want to read more about the programme, you can. And here.
In this ramble, I mentioned earlier, an article by Philippe Auclair. In his article, he didn't try to sugarcoat things. But there is one passage that stood out. As I could have written it...but not as well.
"Those who pray for a complete meltdown of FIFA do not know what they wish for......Like it or not, it is indispensable for FIFA to survive. My conviction is that it can, as long as we move away from the current default position (outrage, and little else) and seek ways to revitalize an organization that has done a lot of good over the past three decades."
Currently, and understandably, the 'what happens to FIFA next', is of huge interest news-wise because of events that have been exhaustingly documented. But what about the future?
When some people, including Politicians - and others aboard an ever-growing in popularity bandwagon - hop off to jump back on their soapboxes, please remember, that the organisation has done a lot of good things. Continues to do a lot of good things. And has 'normal' people, who are desperately trying to still continue to do those good things.
And that is equally the challenge of whoever will follow next. There's a big world out there. And hopefully, FIFA can continue to turn them on to football too.
So.....that was my day today. Oh yes. And there was a staff meeting. But you know that!
Thanks for reading.
Alex
On Friday, I passed a BBC journalist on my way home, whom i've known a long time. He asked me this. Then said: "We know the majority of people at FIFA are normal, just going about their daily jobs, doing positive work." It's true.
So, what was FIFA like today? My first 'event' started at 9.30am. I spent 90 minutes there. And it stayed with me all day. Approximately 16 women gathered in a meeting room. On Friday, it was the media working room. Today, it was where 16 mentors met, who are taking part in the first ever FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme.
My job was easy. To sit at the back of the room, take a few photos, and post some tweets on our @FIFAWWC Twitter account.
I arrived. And then something weird happened. Wonderfully weird! The mentors were asked by the external company organising the #FIFAFLDP , to get into small groups. An ice-breaker, to re-introduce themselves to each other. They were then asked what they hoped to get out of the forthcoming week. How were they feeling? Suddenly, two women linked arms, and started to sing. "When you're smiling, when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you."
I looked around. I wanted what they'd had in their coffee! Then the room laughed. "Why did you choose to sing?" they were asked. "Because we're really happy to be a part of this programme. To pass on our experience. To hopefully help encourage more women to pursue their goals and dreams of progressing their careers in football."
Over the weekend I read an article by Philippe Auclair. It went over all the recent news. But somewhere in the middle, it made an unfashionable point. That hammering FIFA has become such a special sport in itself, that to acknowledge publicly it does anything good, is to invite ridicule. To invite accusations of being a FIFA stooge. And so on.
Mentors on this FIFA Female Leadership Development Programme include former international players. Coaches: Hope Powell; Hesterine de Reus; Heidi Store. Two current ExCo members. The MLS Director of Social Media. A former board member of Galatasaray. And someone who has received the MBE for their services to women's football in England.
The woman Moya introduced, is a South-African called Fran Hilton Smith. I've met her a few times. Apparently, she plays in South Africa's top jazz band. And. Her story is amazing.
She was a teacher for 20 years. During apatheid, she ran football courses for white, and black children. Together. And she spread her love of the game, as Moya explained "more or less, from the back of her car." Then, something happened. She was invited to become a FIFA Instructor. She got a FIFA tracksuit. And that tracksuit suddenly opened some serious doors. Yes....a tracksuit.
Since then, she currently serves as the South African FA Technical Director. She founded South Africa's High Performance Centre for Girls hosted by the University of Pretoria. And she has been acknowledged by the SA State Presidential Award for the development of women's football in South Africa. Today, she was just bloody happy to be among people like her. People who had fought. Battled. Never listened to those who told her: "You can't do that." And now she believes that these women, together with FIFA, can mentor 35 young women from all around the world, and hopefully help them blaze a similar trail to her.
To be fair, some media today asked about this programme. Hopefully more will want to find out about it over the rest of the week too. If you want to read more about the programme, you can. And here.
"Those who pray for a complete meltdown of FIFA do not know what they wish for......Like it or not, it is indispensable for FIFA to survive. My conviction is that it can, as long as we move away from the current default position (outrage, and little else) and seek ways to revitalize an organization that has done a lot of good over the past three decades."
Currently, and understandably, the 'what happens to FIFA next', is of huge interest news-wise because of events that have been exhaustingly documented. But what about the future?
When some people, including Politicians - and others aboard an ever-growing in popularity bandwagon - hop off to jump back on their soapboxes, please remember, that the organisation has done a lot of good things. Continues to do a lot of good things. And has 'normal' people, who are desperately trying to still continue to do those good things.
And that is equally the challenge of whoever will follow next. There's a big world out there. And hopefully, FIFA can continue to turn them on to football too.
So.....that was my day today. Oh yes. And there was a staff meeting. But you know that!
Thanks for reading.
Alex
