Women’s World Cup team told ‘don’t shave down there’ and took ‘humiliating’ test

The Swedish women's national team were forced to strip down and show their genitalia as part of a bizarre gender test ahead of the 2011 World Cup.

Former Sweden international Nilla Fischer claims she and her team-mates were told not to shave 'down there' before doctors inspected their privates in order to determine their sex.

FIFA started enforcing a new gender recognition policy a few weeks before the tournament after Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana accused Equatorial Guinea of fielding several male players in their team.

Nevertheless, Fischer described the ordeal as "humiliating" and was left wondering why they couldn't have performed a simple swab test instead.

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"We were told that we should not shave 'down there' in the coming days and that we will show our genitalia for the doctor," Fischer wrote in her book 'I Didn't Even Say Half Of It'.

"No one understands the thing about shaving but we do as we are told and think 'how did it get to this? Why are we forced to do this now, there has to be other ways to do this. Should we refuse?'

"At the same time no one wants to jeopardise the opportunity to play at a World Cup. We just have to get the s**t done no matter how sick and humiliating it feels."

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The 38-year-old, who hung up her boots last year, went into further detail about the inspection in an interview with Swedish outlet Aftonbladet.

"I understand what I have to do and quickly pull down my training pants and underwear at the same time," she said. "The physio nods and says 'yup' and then looks out at the doctor who is standing with his back to my doorway. He makes a note and moves on in the corridor to knock on the next door.

"When everyone on our team is checked, that is to say, has exposed their vagina, our team doctor can sign that the Swedish women's national football team consists only of women."

Fischer earned a whopping 194 caps for her country and appeared at four World Cups. At the 2011 tournament, Sweden were knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winners Japan.

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