Human rights issues swirl around the Women’s Asian Cup. They cannot be ignored

The Women's Asian Cup in Australia highlights significant human rights concerns, contrasting the Asian Football Confederation's corporate ambitions with the realities faced by players. A notable incident involved 18 senior players from the Bangladesh women's national team threatening to retire due to alleged mistreatment by their head coach, Peter Butler. Captain Sabina Khatun publicly accused him of verbal abuse, body shaming, and mental harassment, drawing parallels to previous protests by women's teams. These issues raise critical questions about the treatment of female athletes in the sport and the need for systemic change.

• Contrast between corporate ambitions and player realities.
• Protests from Bangladesh women's national team players.
• Accusations of verbal abuse and mental harassment.
• Historical parallels with previous player strikes.
• Call for systemic change in women's football.