The Lesbians Among Us-Ghana Women's Soccer

The year 2010 has been a successful year for African women's soccer when one considers the crowning of the Nigerian U-20 women's team as world Champions,the Super Falcon's winning the African Women's Championship 2010, with a female coach(Eucharia Uche) in charge,Ghana's national women's youth teams qualifying for the first to the FIFA world cup,Equatorial Guinea also qualifying for the first time to the 2011 FIFA women's world cup alongside Nigeria and Pepertua Nkwocha having been named the best on the African continent for a historical 3rd time.

Whiles some countries lick their wounds over failures in 2010,others are hard at work putting structures in place to ensure success in the coming year in all competitions they may find themselves in. To them I say more grease to your elbows. If preparation meeting opportunity is the definition of luck, then i say,good luck to all nations whose women soccer
programs are ready to perspire in preparation towards the competitions lined up for the coming year.

The pertinent issue i will be addressing is the news making headlines in Ghana about lesbianism being the reason for the dwindling fortunes of Ghana's national women's soccer teams. For a coach to have allegedly stated in his report to the executive committee that, he failed to reach the goals set due to the teams practice of lesbianism is just unfortunate,irresponsible and reprehensible. However the Ghanaian media handling of this issue has much to be desired,mildly put.

Pia Sundhage

On January 9th,2010 the coach of the United States Women's National Team, Pia Sundhage,who is an ex-international soccer player with 146 international appearances for Sweden scoring 71 goals and who also guided the United States to an Olympic Gold Medal in 2008 and the Algarve Cup in 2008 came out on national TV as a lesbian.

Click Here For Video Of Pia's Interview(interview is in swedish)

In August 2010, Hope Powell OBE,CBE,the head coach of the England women's soccer team who has been inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, was named as one of the most influential gay or lesbian people in 2010. In 2003,Hope Powell became the first woman to have a UEFA pro license and she has been the national coach of England since 1998.

There are a countless number of athletes world wide who are performing at the highest level of the sports they play,from soccer through softball to basketball and what have you, so i dare ask, what has one's sexuality got to do with one's sporting capabilities ?

Before Victoria Svensson of Sweden's WNT,Sherryl Swoops of the WNBA,Alyson Regina Annan,OAM(voted the best field hockey player in the world,1999) to name a few, there was Billy Jean King,Martina Navatilova,Conchita Martinez and Amelie Mauresmo, who played their respective sports with distinction and so were recognized first by their sporting prowess and not by their sexuality.

The media men who are highlighting the issue of lesbianism in the women's national team should bow their heads in shame with the abysmal and amateurish manner in which they presented the issue. May be some education about the subject will go a long way to ensure a more professional coverage in future.Yes, many will say lesbianism is alien to Ghanaians as a people, however the Ghanaian populace will have to change their perspective and be tolerant and not leave the players stigmatized through the negative branding and intimidation most lesbians are subjected to.With morale at an all time low, the women's national team needs the uttermost support of the nation as they approach the new year and negative press should be relegated to the background.

South African Lesbian Soccer Team

The FA's equality manager,Lucie Faulkner once stated " No one should be discriminated against based on their sexuality" and so the GFA must put in place structures to protect the rights of the players in the women's soccer team and for that matter, the coach who would rather lay his incompetence at the door step of lesbian must be relieved of his post.

Ghana's women's soccer has come of age and if success is what we are all striving for, then much more must be done to ensure our rubbing shoulders with the best in the world. The GFA has received plaudits for their achievements over the years and for 2011 we hope to see much more. A happy New Year to all and may the new year bring Ghana's women's soccer success !