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Girls give FA red card over advice to get them into football | Girls give FA red card over advice to get them into football |
(35 minutes later) | |
Pupils at a County Durham primary school have shown the red card to the Football Association over its advice to try and get more girls into the sport. | Pupils at a County Durham primary school have shown the red card to the Football Association over its advice to try and get more girls into the sport. |
A document on its website included suggestions girls should be offered "colourful, nice smelling" bibs and pink whistles. | A document on its website included suggestions girls should be offered "colourful, nice smelling" bibs and pink whistles. |
Football is popular with girls at Lumley Primary School and some wrote to the FA taking issue with the tips. | Football is popular with girls at Lumley Primary School and some wrote to the FA taking issue with the tips. |
The FA said the document was created after research and feedback. | The FA said the document was created after research and feedback. |
The opening suggestion is to: "Advertise in places where girls go i.e. coffee shops or on the back of toilet doors." | The opening suggestion is to: "Advertise in places where girls go i.e. coffee shops or on the back of toilet doors." |
Deputy head Carol Hughes came across the document while researching resources to use in writing week. | |
"I was absolutely horrified, and actually laughed out loud at some of the suggestions," she said. | "I was absolutely horrified, and actually laughed out loud at some of the suggestions," she said. |
"I took it to another teacher and she had the same response." | "I took it to another teacher and she had the same response." |
'Not Barbie dolls' | 'Not Barbie dolls' |
Some of her year six pupils wrote to the FA, saying although the document was done with the best of intentions, they found it insulting. | Some of her year six pupils wrote to the FA, saying although the document was done with the best of intentions, they found it insulting. |
"We aren't brainless Barbie dolls. We don't all like the same colour - pink," one of the pupils said. Another added: "We don't need pink whistles and we don't have big mouths, so why do we need a big mouth water bottle." | |
A spokesman for the FA said: "The FA is committed to doubling female football participation by 2020 and to growing the women's game at all levels, from elite to grassroots. | A spokesman for the FA said: "The FA is committed to doubling female football participation by 2020 and to growing the women's game at all levels, from elite to grassroots. |
"The document was created following research into women and girls playing football, with feedback from both participants and non-participants. | "The document was created following research into women and girls playing football, with feedback from both participants and non-participants. |
"We're very pleased to see how many girls at the school play football and the passion for the game that they clearly have." | "We're very pleased to see how many girls at the school play football and the passion for the game that they clearly have." |