A sexism row has erupted in France after GUY ROUX, the 87-year-old who coached AJ Auxerre for 44 years, questioned women’s suitability for football. His remarks have drawn widespread condemnation beyond the pitch.
“Men and women are not made the same, they do not have the same tissues,” he said. He linked female anatomy to motherhood, saying women are “made to give birth” and that “football is not made for wide hips”. The comments were made in an interview with L’Est Éclair.
He also said the best female players have “the build of children”. Recalling a conversation with a European 100m champion, he claimed Usain Bolt would still beat her by “12 or 14 metres”.
The backlash was immediate, with organisations, analysts and fans branding the statements sexist and out of date. Critics argued the comments reduce a complex sport to crude physical generalisations and invite unfair comparisons with the men’s game.
The dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny of gender equality in France. beIN Sports commentator Daniel Bravo was recently suspended after saying the former player and Paris FC executive Gaëtane Thiney “was not paying much attention” and that “it sounded like she was talking about lingerie”.
Women’s football in France has grown in profile and success, with Lyon the most decorated side in Europe with 8 Champions League titles, and Paris Saint-Germain competing at the elite level. Roux’s words have served as a flashpoint for a debate the game has yet to settle.
