Ireland star details FIFA silence on protest against controversial Saudi deal

FIFA have yet to respond to a letter signed by more than 100 professional female footballers, urging them to do a u-turn on their decision to sign a four-year deal with Saudi Arabian oil and gas company Saudi Aramco.

Under the agreement, Aramco will become a partner for tournaments such as the 2026 men’s World Cup and the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Given the wide representation of the LGBTQ community within the women’s game, the players wrote: “We urge FIFA to reconsider this partnership and replace Saudi Aramco with alternative sponsors whose values align with gender equality, human rights and the safe future of our planet.”

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Ireland international Lily Agg says she did not hesitate to sign the letter, after she was encouraged to by veteran defender Diane Caldwell

“I think we have a platform,” she said. I’m someone who is quite direct, I’m more than happy to speak up about things that I believe in.

“When I was approached by Diane [Caldwell] in regards to that, it’s something that I do not have a problem at all putting my name forward for.

“I think it obviously shows a bit of courage, because we often worry about the repercussions of doing things like that, but we have a platform and I believe we should stick up and stay true to things that we believe in. That’s what I have done.

For us, as players, as I said, I think it’s important that we highlight these things.

“People can do their own research into what goes on within that, but it’s something that after discussion with some of my teammates and other players, I felt I wanted to stick up for.”

According to Agg, there has been no response from FIFA to the letter.

“You want Fifa to respond. We haven’t had a response as of yet, but we would like [one],” she said.

“That’s, again, the power of our platform and of course, more and more people could potentially put their names forward.

“But it’s also a scary, daunting thing. People don’t want to [speak out], which again, is understandable. It’s more just feeling comfortable with what you want to do.

“Again, me as a player, I have no issues at all in putting my name down.

“As I said, people worry about repercussions or what that looks like, or get nervous if people ask questions in the media. I haven’t done anything wrong, it’s something I believe in and I will happily speak about.”

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