A new football league which encourages women to play in their lingerie has been heavily criticised, with people claiming the idea is ‘sexist’.
The recently-launched Lingerie Football League UK will see its first game take place on the rooftop of Manchester’s Hotel Football – owned by former Manchester United players Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.
According to the Manchester Evening News, participants will be swapping more traditional football kits for outfits similar to those worn by volleyball players.
The report also features the views of Tracey Halpin, a coach of a local girls team, who lists a number of reasons why the idea is sexist.
“Why else would men come and watch women play in their lingerie? It wouldn’t be for the reason to watch them play football,” said Halpin.
“It seems like a crazy, crazy thing. I have worked with 30 young girls, I don’t think their parents would be impressed.
“It doesn’t set an impression to young girls this is a reason you should play football.
“You don’t see any men playing football in their underwear. I would say it brings it all backwards.”
A petition has also been established urging Manchester United’s ‘Class of ’92’ to cancel the event.
Although it appears that the only link between the league and the former United players is that its first game is due to take place at the hotel owned by Neville and Giggs, the petition claims the pair, along with former team-mates Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes are ‘on the verge of setting Women’s Football in the UK back at least 25 years’.
Despite criticism towards the league its founder, Gemma Hughes, claims that the purpose of setting it up was to fight gender equality and emphasise the femininity of the players.
