Journalist schooled for remarks on women’s team at press conference held for the team’s historic victory

Shanzay Salman

Shanzay Salman

Features Editor

Pakistan women’s football team secured a historic 7-0 win against the Maldives in the 2022 SAFF Women’s Championship, but far from greeting them with felicitations upon their return, journalists were more interested in policing the players on their uniform.

The Women in Green, after their first international football tournament in over 8 years, created history with an
excellent win in the third match of the tournament.
However, in the very first press conference held after the match, things turned unpleasant as a journalist asked the head coach, Adeel Rizki, about the Pakistan women’s team uniform . “This is the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, why did the players play in shorts, couldn’t they play in leggings?” the journalist asked.

Adeel responded to the question by stating that it is the player’s choice what they want to wear and the management had no specific requirement on what the kit should be. He said that some players put on leggings while others preferred shorts, but it was about what the players were most comfortable wearing.

The video of the press conference went viral on social media as football fans in the country called out the journalist for his inappropriate questions.