1 week ago
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Reuters
Jul 17, 2025, 05:54 PM ET
Brazil players, including six-time FIFA Player of the Year Marta, person criticised CONMEBOL and the organisers of the Women's Copa América successful Ecuador for requiring teams to warm-up successful confined indoor areas alternatively than connected the pitch.
Images circulated connected societal media, earlier Brazil's ascendant triumph implicit Bolivia successful their 2nd Group B lucifer connected Tuesday, showed players from some teams warming up side-by-side successful a confined country astatine the Gonzalo Pozo Ripalda Stadium.
According to the tourney regulations, the measurement was implemented to forestall harm to the pitch, which hosts 2 matches successful a time during the radical stage.
Marta, who returned from planetary status to enactment successful the continental tournament, voiced her vexation implicit the situation.
"It's been a agelong clip since I played successful a tourney present successful South America, and we were saddened by these circumstances," the 39-year-old striker told Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte.
"Athletes are expected to execute good and enactment hard, but we besides person to request a precocious level of organisation.
"There wasn't capable abstraction for some teams, but some wanted to prepare. I truly don't recognize wherefore we can't lukewarm up connected the pitch.
"This is simply a occupation for america due to the fact that it's precise blistery inside, connected apical of the altitude. We anticipation that CONMEBOL changes immoderate things and improves the situation."
Coach Arthur Elias echoed Marta's concerns, emphasizing that the conditions airs risks to players.
"We shouldn't person to request that those liable for shot bash their job, conscionable arsenic the players bash connected the transportation and I bash arsenic a coach," helium said.
"The contented of warm-ups worries maine a lot. This is important for the players' wellness and for the match, due to the fact that erstwhile some teams don't lukewarm up connected the pitch, they instrumentality longer to get going."
Midfielder Ary Borges directed disapproval astatine CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez, highlighting the disparity betwixt men's and women's tournaments.
"Even amateur matches are amended organised than what we person here. Ask Alejandro if helium could warm-up successful a abstraction measuring 5 oregon 10 metres and smelling of paint," she said.
"I deliberation we had an illustration of this with the Men's Copa América, with its immense infrastructure. Why is the women's tourney having to woody with this benignant of thing?
"This is thing helium needs to address, arsenic president. I deliberation we merit better."
CONMEBOL did not instantly respond to a petition for remark from Reuters.
