Still without any official contact of the club, the players of the women's team of Athletico had to know the discontinuity of the category through social networks and WhatsApp messages sent by the technical commission, who received his resignation, during the holidays, days before Christmas. The athletes are still posting their club goodbyes on their networks.
In the face of such neglect, Ellen Nogueira, half-field of the team, decided to write an open letter (with support and on behalf of the entire cast) directly to the club, positioning and reporting how they feel disrespected by the way everything has been treated, by neglecting all the professionals involved and the lack of respect for women's football. They also report the lack of interest of the board by the team already demonstrated internally and the lack of support that Athletico has been presenting with them.
Every situation has been regrettable by a club that is said to be professional to treat this unprofessional way with its athletes, who – rightly – deserve to be treated with more respect.
Check out the full letter:
CHARTER OPENS TO THE ATHLETIC CLUB PARANANESS
To be quite honest, I thought a thousand times before I wrote this text and talked about it. However, I believe I should also comment on this. We know that we female team athletes have a "greater weight" and, due to the internal vision we have, it is important to assume this position.
The decision to end the female team, motivated by an irresponsibility of the main male team, represents a total disregard for us. We're paying the price for something that's not our responsibility. Unfortunately, from the beginning, due to the lack of interest of the club's managers in relation to our team, we imagined that something like this could happen. It was clear to us that if the male team fell to the B Series, the female team would be treated as expendable.
It was always very clear that the club maintained the female modality only out of obligation. The one who really dedicated and sought solutions for us was Renata (supervisor). However, this situation was beyond her reach and any effort we could make.
This causes indignation – in us athletes, in the technical committee and, I believe, in all the people who support women's football. It is extremely sad for the modality to note that there are still clubs that maintain women's football only by imposition and not by valorization.
The neglect, however, does not end there. The lack of respect for us athletes continues. So far, we haven't been officially communicated by anyone at the club about the closure of the female modality. The least we expected was a formal support that would allow us to position ourselves properly on this decision.
It is not acceptable that we simply go on vacation and discover, through unofficial social networks, the end of our team. There was not even a message in the WhatsApp group, where all athletes and the technical committee are present. That would be a less disrespectful way of dealing with such a serious matter.
Finally, there is still much – much respect, consideration and empathy with women's football. We deserve better.
