Swedish soccer players had to show genitals to prove they were women
Swedish soccer players competing in the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany were forced to undergo invasive gender tests, which involved showing their genitalia to a team medical worker to prove they were females, according to a new book by the former captain of the Swedish team. Nilla Fischer, who played 194 times for her country, wrote in her book titled “I Didn’t Even Say Half Of It” that a female physiotherapist conducted the checks on behalf of a team doctor. Fischer questioned the need for the invasive tests, suggesting that alternative methods, such as swab DNA tests could have been used. The gender tests were conducted after allegations by Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana that members of the Equatorial Guinea squad included three men.
FAQs
What were the gender tests for?
The gender tests were conducted after allegations by Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana that members of the Equatorial Guinea squad included three men.
Why did Swedish soccer players undergo invasive gender tests?
Although FIFA required gender tests in the 2011 tournament, they did not ask nations to conduct the specific physical exam that Fischer described in her book. Swedish team doctor Mats Börjesson said FIFA demanded the gender checks after the allegations about Equatorial Guinea’s team.
Could alternative methods be used to determine gender?
Fischer questioned the need for the invasive tests, suggesting that alternative methods such as swab DNA tests could have been used.
How did the players feel about the gender test?
Fischer said the environment on the team felt “safe” but that the players were uncertain why they had to go through the invasive process when there were other ways to determine their genders. In her book, she stated, “We just have to get the s— done, no matter how sick and humiliating it feels.”
What did FIFA say about the gender tests?
“We have taken note of recent comments made by Nilla Fischer around her experiences, and gender verification testing conducted by the Swedish national team at the 2011 Women’s World Cup,” FIFA said in a statement.
Female Swedish soccer players required to display their genitals for verification.
During the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany, the Swedish women’s soccer team had to undergo invasive checks to prove their gender, according to revelations made by former captain Nilla Fischer in her new book, “I Didn’t Even Say Half Of It.” The checks were conducted by a female physiotherapist on behalf of a team doctor, and involved players being asked to show their genitalia. Fischer said she and her teammates were told not to shave “down there” and questioned why more scientific methods could not be used to determine gender. The checks were conducted after allegations by Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana that members of the Equatorial Guinea squad included three men.