Turf vs. Grass: The Controversy
The 2015 Women’s World Cup is being held in various cities in Canada this year. Women’s soccer teams from all around the nation have travelled to compete against each other, all aiming for the ultimate prize of being crowned the 2015 FIFA World Cup Champions. The Women’s World Cup, an event that occurs every four years, has been around since 1991, yet the 2015 World Cup is the most controversial one to date. The fact is that no FIFA World Cup, men's or women's, has ever been played on an artificial surface; all have previously been played on natural grass fields (Payne). That, however, would all change after this years World Cup. Cited by many as an act of sexism, there is no other solid reason why the women …show more content…
natural grass fields, natural grass will always be the athlete’s preferred choice to compete on. Turf not only affects the athlete’s overall health, but also affects the entirety of the game itself. The balls being played are more difficult to control and players are less likely to go up for headers or down for slide tackles (Geier). United States National Team member Abby Wambach stated, “The game changes, the ball rolls faster, and it’s less fun as an athlete. It should be grass stains, not blood.” Not only are the women now sacrificing their body to participate in this tournament, they are also sacrificing being on the field and enjoying what they are doing. As Wambach said, grass stains on uniforms should be their biggest worry, not their ripped, bloody, and damaged skin. FIFA has claimed that the Women’s World Cup is “the biggest women’s sporting event in the world” and that “the future of football (soccer) is feminine” (Geier). Since women are the future of the game, they deserve the same conditions and respect that the men are currently getting. In response to numerous women players taking a stand and speaking out about the controversy, it was announced that the 2019 Women’s World Cup would be held on grass fields (Kassouf). This years World Cup has let the women prove that they are tough and capable enough to play on artificial fields, something that the men will most likely never have to
The 2015 Women’s World Cup is being held in various cities in Canada this year. Women’s soccer teams from all around the nation have travelled to compete against each other, all aiming for the ultimate prize of being crowned the 2015 FIFA World Cup Champions. The Women’s World Cup, an event that occurs every four years, has been around since 1991, yet the 2015 World Cup is the most controversial one to date. The fact is that no FIFA World Cup, men's or women's, has ever been played on an artificial surface; all have previously been played on natural grass fields (Payne). That, however, would all change after this years World Cup. Cited by many as an act of sexism, there is no other solid reason why the women …show more content…
natural grass fields, natural grass will always be the athlete’s preferred choice to compete on. Turf not only affects the athlete’s overall health, but also affects the entirety of the game itself. The balls being played are more difficult to control and players are less likely to go up for headers or down for slide tackles (Geier). United States National Team member Abby Wambach stated, “The game changes, the ball rolls faster, and it’s less fun as an athlete. It should be grass stains, not blood.” Not only are the women now sacrificing their body to participate in this tournament, they are also sacrificing being on the field and enjoying what they are doing. As Wambach said, grass stains on uniforms should be their biggest worry, not their ripped, bloody, and damaged skin. FIFA has claimed that the Women’s World Cup is “the biggest women’s sporting event in the world” and that “the future of football (soccer) is feminine” (Geier). Since women are the future of the game, they deserve the same conditions and respect that the men are currently getting. In response to numerous women players taking a stand and speaking out about the controversy, it was announced that the 2019 Women’s World Cup would be held on grass fields (Kassouf). This years World Cup has let the women prove that they are tough and capable enough to play on artificial fields, something that the men will most likely never have to