by Kingseyi Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:02 pmBarcelona’s first mixed-sex tour was
overshadowed by controversy Thursday after it
emerged that the men’s football team flew in
business class to the United States while the
women’s team was relegated to the back of the
plane in economy.
The Spanish giants posted photos and videos of
the two teams boarding the Portland-bound
plane together but photos posted by the female
players online showed they were flying in
economy, sparking an outcry on social media
after this was noticed by supporters of the
women’s team.
READ ALSO: Bonucci Wants Juve Return,
Reveals AC Milan’s Leonardo
“There was one photo of the team captains in
business class before the men took their seats
in business class and the women returned to
their economy seats,” wrote one much
discussed fan-run account which tweeted
extensively about the topic, @BarcaWomen.
FC Barcelona
@FCBarcelona
It's US Tour time! Let's go!
@SergiRoberto10 @DenisSuarez6
@losada_vicky @marta_torre5
Força Barça! Força @FCBFemeni
#themagiciansoftheball
4:19 PM - Jul 24, 2018
2,695 350 people are talking about th
“If any of the women were in Business Class,
then we certainly didn’t see them. If FC
Barcelona is going to say that they are about
Equality, then the actions must be there to back
it up.”
But Alexia Putellas of the women’s team said
the teams flew in separate sections of the plane
because the female squad had been added to
the tour at a late stage after the club had already
chartered its flight and all the business seats
had already been assigned to the men.
“The club made an effort to organise everything
practically at the last minute… I wish we would
always travel like this, in these conditions,” she
told reporters in Portland after the team’s first
training session.
Sports daily Marca reported that there were only
36 spaces at the front of the plane and each
female player was booked three seats for
comfort.
The women’s team will return to Spain on July
29 — this time in business class, according to
the club.
The men’s team will stay in the United States
until August 4, where they will play friendlies
against Tottenham, Roma and Milan.
AFP
overshadowed by controversy Thursday after it
emerged that the men’s football team flew in
business class to the United States while the
women’s team was relegated to the back of the
plane in economy.
The Spanish giants posted photos and videos of
the two teams boarding the Portland-bound
plane together but photos posted by the female
players online showed they were flying in
economy, sparking an outcry on social media
after this was noticed by supporters of the
women’s team.
READ ALSO: Bonucci Wants Juve Return,
Reveals AC Milan’s Leonardo
“There was one photo of the team captains in
business class before the men took their seats
in business class and the women returned to
their economy seats,” wrote one much
discussed fan-run account which tweeted
extensively about the topic, @BarcaWomen.
FC Barcelona
@FCBarcelona
It's US Tour time! Let's go!
@SergiRoberto10 @DenisSuarez6
@losada_vicky @marta_torre5
Força Barça! Força @FCBFemeni
#themagiciansoftheball
4:19 PM - Jul 24, 2018
2,695 350 people are talking about th
“If any of the women were in Business Class,
then we certainly didn’t see them. If FC
Barcelona is going to say that they are about
Equality, then the actions must be there to back
it up.”
But Alexia Putellas of the women’s team said
the teams flew in separate sections of the plane
because the female squad had been added to
the tour at a late stage after the club had already
chartered its flight and all the business seats
had already been assigned to the men.
“The club made an effort to organise everything
practically at the last minute… I wish we would
always travel like this, in these conditions,” she
told reporters in Portland after the team’s first
training session.
Sports daily Marca reported that there were only
36 spaces at the front of the plane and each
female player was booked three seats for
comfort.
The women’s team will return to Spain on July
29 — this time in business class, according to
the club.
The men’s team will stay in the United States
until August 4, where they will play friendlies
against Tottenham, Roma and Milan.
AFP
