The Membership Has Failed – Barcelona
There’s a match this weekend, towards Villarreal, but it surely hardly appears necessary within the face of much more very important issues happening in Spanish soccer. Sure, it’s a take a look at for the lads’s crew towards an opponent that can (theoretically) come out to play as an alternative of sit again and kick the crap out of attackers. That’s fascinating, however it’s not, within the larger scheme of issues, significantly necessary.
Right here’s the factor: This assertion is a tepid bowl of water, thrown heartily within the face of the very gamers who simply yesterday performed the Gamper in entrance of a powerful crowd, successful 5-0. Yesterday! The Spanish squad that gained the world cup per week in the past was comprised of 9 Barcelona Femeni gamers and the membership has made a degree of tweeting out footage of the three members of “las 15” that didn’t go to the World Cup.
And this morning the membership says, in impact, we’re dissatisfied in sexual harassment and assault, however we are going to demand nothing. It’s not our place, the assertion successfully says, to ask for modifications throughout the group to which we belong. Please, don’t do dangerous issues, though we won’t cease you.
For a membership that prides itself on being social acutely aware and progressive (see numerous advert campaigns and mottos scrawled on the collars of jerseys), that is dereliction of responsibility. For a membership whose gamers have come out in overwhelming assist of the sufferer of this sexual assault–caught on digicam in entrance of thousands and thousands, replayed throughout numerous media platforms–Barça is appearing like they’re speaking a few theoretical occurring, a rumored occasion. There is no such thing as a doubt right here, there are not any questions, there’s merely no room for “nicely, possibly”.
That is my membership. I’m a member and have been for 15 years. And my membership has a responsibility to do higher, to be higher. And it has failed itself, its gamers, its workers, its members, its neighborhood. Look no additional than the thread put together by a board member, vice president Elena Fort, who felt she needed to communicate up on a private channel about this as a result of her employer so roundly failed her, personally and professionally. Look no additional than the outpouring of assist for Jenni Hermoso from virtually each member of the ladies’s squad, particularly from Mapi Leon, whose principled stand towards the federation as a part of Las 15 and her subsequent refusal to again down appears particularly appropriate and morally constant right this moment. Look no additional than the assist from the lads’s captain, Sergi Roberto. Look no additional than Borja Iglesias declaring he’ll now not be a part of the lads’s nationwide crew. Look no additional than the statements from different golf equipment who didn’t dither, didn’t have mealy mouthed requires “guaranteeing the security of girls in sport”. What ensures are there if infractions, if assaults, are merely hand waved away after half-assed apologies and sufferer blaming speeches? What ensures if a membership can’t even again its personal gamers, present and former, towards essentially the most severe of allegations?
And what of when dozens of gamers–together with all 23 World Cup winners–signal a public assertion mentioning the utter depravity of the Federation and its president and refusing to play for the crew sooner or later until modifications are made?
The place does the membership stand when the security is compromised? The place does the membership stand when nationwide crew managers stress households to make an announcement in assist of their baby’s aggressor? The place does the membership stand when the federation makes up an exculpatory assertion and places a participant’s identify on it with out permission? The place does the membership stand when the federation unleashes torrents of media abuse on the membership’s gamers for having the temerity to ask for higher remedy? For the flexibility to lock doorways in lodge rooms?
You recognize the place they stand: they sit on the fence. They sigh roundly, closely, and level to mission statements. They gesture timidly on the phrases of an abuser, hoping the storm will blow over.
That is the imbalance of energy that the gamers face. That is the very factor Las 15 tried to–quietly, behind-the-scenes–repair for themselves and future generations. After which lots of them went and gained the World Cup anyway.
And the membership has failed them fully and completely. Failed them. Failed us.
