In their final game of the SAFF Women’s Championship 2022 on Tuesday, the Pakistan women’s team beat the Maldives 7-0. This was their first international win in eight long years.
What was supposed to be a pleasant first press conference turned bad when a reporter asked the head coach, Adeel Rizki, about the Pakistani women playing in shorts.
Since this was the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the reporter asked, “Why are the players wearing shorts when they could have worn leggings?”
Adeel said in response to the question that it’s important to get better at sports, so it’s up to the player to decide what to wear and the management has no rules about the uniform. He said that some athletes prefer to play in shorts and others in leggings. He said, “We don’t have any control over that.”
The video of the press conference quickly went viral on social media as football fans all over the country criticized the reporter for his negative comments.
Watch the video here:
Only in Pakistan 😑#saffwomenschampionship @TheRealPFF pic.twitter.com/UPXwtiJMqi
— Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) September 15, 2022
Check out some of the best responses:
This country is a massive case of hopelessness https://t.co/kzZi6HRIqi
— Shayk🪁🌳🚉🚴🏽🏙🏎 (@ShaykShack) September 15, 2022
Did the Islamic republic of Pakistan’s journalist ever bothered to ask when money is stolen? When positions are exploited? When corruption is done? Why does all this boil down to the clothes of women? I wish them to be vocal about every wrong deed in our country. https://t.co/bdAnPMN3Xw
— Noorena Shams (@noorenashams) September 15, 2022
Its just 1 of the disgusting qs out of 1000 others that Pak women footballer face every single day.
When they play, they're not just playing, they're claiming breathing space, space for a life to live. Its not easy to live in Pak & pursue sports even on any level. https://t.co/dBRVHDr9dj
— natasha (@NatashaRaheel) September 15, 2022
Someone should really tell that "journalist" to lower his gaze and look up the phrase "There is no compulsion in religion".
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) September 15, 2022
https://twitter.com/FootballPak/status/1570499475285897216
