Football Australia boss to meet with Matildas squad ahead of Brazil clash
Football Australia chief James Johnson will meet with the Matildas in camp this week to address the team about the upcoming investigation into misconduct within women’s football lead by Sport Integrity Australia.
Australia’s women’s national team players began arriving into Sydney on Monday night ahead of their first match on home soil in almost 600 days, when they face Brazil on Saturday at Commbank Stadium in Parramatta. The teams then play again on the following Tuesday, at the same venue.
The Matildas will meet with Football Australia boss James Johnson this week. Credit:Getty Images
The preparations for a welcome home have been overshadowed by allegations of harassment and bullying from former Matilda Lisa De Vanna, which prompted Football Australia to partner with Sport Integrity Australia to open an independent investigation into any form of misconduct within women’s football.
That process will be one of the main items on the agenda when Johnson meets with the Matildas this week, as well as the strict terms of their quarantine measures, which are unprecedented in Australian sport.
While the meeting was scheduled a month before as part of the multi-channel communication recommendations made by the Smith-Gander Report, it will give the Matildas a first chance to speak with Football Australia’s administrators about the allegations and the SIA investigation set to commence later this week.
The allegations have made for an unsettled backdrop to the team’s first match in Australia since March 2020 but two weeks of controversial headlines doesn’t appear to have stopped fans from buying tickets to the Brazil clash on Saturday night. Officials say the Matildas are on track to challenge their previous best home attendance of 20,029, based on sales projections.
The Matildas record was set in 2019 against Chile at the same venue.
The NSW Government’s easing of restrictions last week saw the crowd capacity lifted to 22,500 at Commbank Stadium, and prompted a spike in ticket sales in recent days. Having previously sold all tickets for both games at the initial capacity of 5000, more than 15,000 tickets have been sold for both games.
The Matildas will be confined to strict quarantine measures preventing them from leaving their hotel rooms unless they’re attending team meals, team meetings and training sessions.
The players will wear GPS proximity wristbands monitoring their movement with all data sent to NSW Health.
Commbank Stadium has also erected see-through nets between the field of play and the roof, preventing the match ball from reaching the crowd.
“As part of the agreement with the Federal and NSW governments, the players and staff will quarantine in designated bio-secure facilities,” an FFA spokesman said.
“These arrangements have not changed since the details were agreed, will provide for the players’ training and welfare needs in the lead-up to and between matches.”
Despite the measures, new relaxation of laws will allow attendees to drink at stadium bars standing up.
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