Feminism has gone too far.
Should women be allowed to play football with men? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/4081894.stm
Coach kicks off football debate
England is playing host to the Women's Euro 2005 tournament
The law banning women from playing football with men at the highest level should be reviewed, an academic says.
Dr Jean Williams, a UEFA coach, says female players face embedded inequality as contact sports are exempt from equal opportunities legislation.
The De Montfort University lecturer wants sports chiefs to look at the rules which restrict women from playing in the top professional leagues.
FA regulations segregate male and female players from the age of 12.
The problem of deeply embedded inequality is encapsulated by the use of the very term 'women's football'
Dr Jean Williams, De Montfort University
Dr Williams, a UEFA-certified coach and former player, said: "Why shouldn't women be allowed to compete at the highest level?
"I think that goes across all sports and not just football.
"I think we need to look at equal opportunities law to review whether women should be allowed to compete at the highest level."
She will give a keynote speech about women in football at an international conference on Monday, timed to coincide with the current Uefa Women's Football Tournament being held in England.
'Passionate views'
"The problem of deeply embedded inequality is encapsulated by the use of the very term 'women's football'," she said.
"There are formal and informal systems discriminating against women that have been developed over the last century and these must be dismantled if the sport is really to be advanced.
"Football seems to have engaged passionate views about whether women can, may and ought to play for a relatively long time and most people will have an opinion, specialist or not."
She will speaking at The International Football Institute Conference 2005: Women, Football and Europe at the University of Lancashire.
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Should men and women play football together at the highest level? Or is this a step too far for sexual equality? Are you a footballer, if so how would it affect your team?
This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.
I recently signed for and promptly left a US Co-ed team in a Co-ed league (mixed male and female). The reason I left? I threw in a Gerrard style tackle in midfield and was booed when the player went down. I didn't realise until after the tackle that it was a woman I sent flying. She was unable to continue and I was booed for the rest of the match. Sorry people, but women physically cannot play football at the highest level.
Craig, Liverpool, Living in the USA
Woman can't compete on an equal field where strength is required
James Bateman, High Wycombe
When the Williams sisters were at 1 and 2 in the world, I remember listening to a programme where McEnroe was asked where they would be ranked in the men's table. I was shocked when he said around position 100. Woman can't compete on an equal field where strength is required. However they should compete in things like snooker and darts. (Paula Radcliffe is the one exception.)
James Bateman, High Wycombe
Including women does not work, I've played in mixed sides and the women either get hurt or more usually, the men pull out of tackles and don't play their normal game. Either way it messes the game up.
Jez, Blackpool
Clearly women will fail to match men at the highest level in soccer, just as they cannot match them in tennis. Why do men have to play five sets of tennis while women only play three? Yet the women now earn as much prize money as the men in tennis. Surely the men should be demanding equality, by playing fewer sets or getting more money for playing more tennis.
James Green
Yet another example of Political Correctness gone mad. I take it all sports would include boxing. The only people that would benefit would be the world's lawyers, as they line up to take on the ensuing claims of neglect and blame that any sensible person can see would ensue from allowing both sexes to compete in physical contact sports.
H Morrison, Lincoln
Women are not yet ready for football at the top level. Their skill levels can be quite high but they cannot compete with the men. I notice that most of those saying yes are from North America where soccer is viewed as a kid's/women's game. I don't think many women would survive a Roy Keane tackle.
Mark, Grangemouth
I can see it now. In a few years there will be legislation making it illegal for any football team to have less than 50% women, and what about disabled people?
Clive Webster, St Helens, UK
Why not start with snooker and darts?
What is snooker?