FIFA ‘deeply concerned’ at social media footage of DR Congo Under-20 women’s national team

FIFPRO says the video, which it posted to its official Twitter web page on Thursday, exhibits the team executing a passing drill on a mud street with vehicles and motorbikes passing by. At one level, the drill is interrupted as a yellow van drives down the street between the gamers.

Players’ union FIFPRO says FECOFA didn’t e book sufficient pitch time forward of the team’s 2022 World Cup qualifier in opposition to Cameroon on September 25, which the team misplaced 4-0 at home.

The video that FIFPRO posted then exhibits the ladies sleeping exterior of their tracksuits. FIFPRO says they had been kicked out of their lodge on October 12, which the gamers’ union stated the Congolese FA did not pay for.

“This is unacceptable,” FIFPRO wrote at the top of the video, which it stated in a press release was taken by a member of the general public.

The therapy of ladies footballers in Africa, notably round funds, has lengthy been a problem on the continent.

The Congolese FA (FECOFA) didn’t reply to a number of requests for remark by CNN over the previous few days. CNN couldn’t confirm the contents of the video.

“The Congolese player union is in contact with the players. They are ok and now back at their homes, if upset about their appalling treatment by the national federation,” FIFPRO stated in a press release to CNN.

“The union has also written a formal letter of complaint about their treatment to the Congolese FA,” the assertion stated.

Asked for remark, the continent’s governing physique — the Confederation of African Football — directed CNN to FECOFA and soccer’s world governing physique FIFA.

The women’s Under-20 World Cup is because of happen in Costa Rica subsequent 12 months after being postponed since 2020.