Kerr’s anger at humiliation of Hegerberg
BLUNDER
SHELLEY KERR last night joined in the chorus of disapproval over the way Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg was treated when receiving her award on Monday night.
It had taken 62 years for the best female footballer on the planet to be afforded the same recognition as her male equivalent.
Yet, when the big moment arrived in front of an audience of her peers in Paris, Lyon star Hegerberg was humiliatingly asked by French DJ Martin Solveig, who was presenting, whether she could ‘twerk’ after receiving the prestigious award. The 23-year-old Norwegian forward has already scored more than 250 goals for club and country and had just given an uplifting acceptance speech, encouraging young girls to believe in themselves.
Unsurprisingly, neither Luka Modric, the male recipient of the award, nor Kylian Mbappe — who scooped a new award, the Kopa trophy — were asked whether they, too, could perform the dance.
For Scotland manager Kerr, what should be a momentous week for the women’s game with the World Cup draw set to take place this weekend has, infuriatingly, been overshadowed.
‘We should be talking the morning after (the ceremony) about a fantastic achievement,’ said Kerr.
‘It is the inaugural Ballon d’Or (for women). Ada Hegerberg is an exceptional young talent, 23 years old with over 250 goals. Won the Champions League three times and, instead, we’re talking about an inappropriate comment. And we’re in 2018. ‘It’s not acceptable. Even this week, we’re in the build up to a World Cup draw. We’re competing in it for the first time and we have England, who have announced they are going to be hosting Euro 2021.
‘I’ve been involved in the women’s game for over 40 years. We shouldn’t need to be educating people in this day and age. The message to everyone is that the game needs to be valued more, globally.’
Hegerberg responded to the crass question from Solveig with a curt ‘no’, before later saying she did not take any offence nor deem it sexual harassment.
Scotland international Fiona Brown, who is the same age as Hegerberg, praised how impressively the Norwegian handled the situation.
‘I’m the same as Shelley, I’ve been lucky enough not to have experienced it (sexism) and it is improving — but this shows it is still happening,’ said Brown. ‘I agree, it’s not acceptable.
‘I think Ada handled it unbelievably well for a young player. On a worldwide televised event, she could have flown off the handle to be honest, and she would have been perfectly within her rights to do so. It’s a credit to her that she didn’t.
‘It’s a shame we’re not talking about her achievements, but how she was embarrassed in front of a worldwide audience.’
Solveig has since apologised for his ridiculous remarks following a wave criticism.
He was widely condemned on social media, with Scottish tennis star Andy Murray among those at the forefront.
‘Why do women still have to put up with that s***?’, asked Murray on Instagram.
‘What questions did they ask (Kylian) Mbappe and (Luka) Modric? I’d imagine something to do with football.
‘And to everyone who thinks people are overreacting and it was just a joke... it wasn’t. I’ve been involved in sport my whole life and the level of sexism is unreal.’
Fellow Dunblane-born star Brown praised Murray for raising awareness but regrets that he even has to fulfil such a role.
‘Andy Murray has spoken a lot about it previously,’ she added. ‘He has witnessed it a lot because tennis has had its issues with it, as well. He’s using his platform in a positive way to get the awareness out there. Obviously I would have preferred if we were talking about women’s football in a positive way but, if people are at least coming out and saying it’s not acceptable, it shows that attitudes are changing.’
Kerr was equally positive about Murray and his support of women’s sport.
‘He’s a real role model,’ she said. ‘We want to inspire everyone, not just girls and women — we want to inspire boys and men, too, and Andy Murray... it’s not an isolated case in which he has stepped forward to support women’s sport.
‘It’s not just women’s football, it’s women’s sport.
‘He has grown up with a mother who is a female coach and a role model — and he’s an absolute role model.
‘I like how he portrays himself and coming out and supporting is what we need.
‘We shouldn’t need to be educating people to say the right things any more in 2018, but unfortunately we are.’