Claudia Bunge says an impending player walk out at Western Springs Football Club could be 'detrimental'. Photo / Photosport
Claudia Bunge says an impending player walk out at Western Springs Football Club could be 'detrimental'. Photo / Photosport
Football Ferns defender Claudia Bunge warns Western Springs Football Club they could lose players beyond the women’s premier team if the impending walkout of the entire squad transpires.
Bunge, who has 19 caps for New Zealand, said the allegations of gender inequality at the Auckland club that surfacedthis week also occur at many clubs around the country, and the women’s game “still has a long way to go”.
“We’ve been dealing with the same issues for a long time,” she said. “This is one of the many reasons females drop out of sport.”
However, the 23-year-old calls for the Western Springs players – even outside of the Premier team – to stick with the game despite what’s unfolded at the club.
“[Inequality] is going to come, I don’t want to sugarcoat it. The higher up you go and the more you play, unfortunately, the more hurdles you’re going to face.”
Western Springs during the 2022 season. Photo / Photosport
Bunge cautions Western Springs could lose junior players with no premier women’s team to look up to.
“It’s detrimental for a club like Western Springs who have a massive youth base. Without pointing fingers, it’s really not good enough from the club’s board.
“[Western Springs] are pretty well ahead in terms of academy programmes and youth programmes – and the women’s team historically have been very successful.”
Bunge said these groups could all face repercussions if inequality keeps unfolding at their club.
Bunge, who is an ambassador for Visa, is promoting the launch of a new platforms ‘Year13 & Visa PlayOn’, which highlights the benefits of playing sports – with the aim of making female athletes more visible and accessible to encourage young girls to stay in sport.
Visa’s research revealed the importance of visible role models as “64 per cent of young female respondents said they didn’t have a female sports star they looked up to.
“One in five (21 per cent) girls also say they’ve never (or can’t remember) the last time they saw women’s sport highlights in media,” a press release from Visa said.
“Real and relatable role models were shown to be more important than ever with almost a third (29 per cent) of young girls who do not play sport dropping out due to bodily insecurities.”
Claudia Bunge is working to keep New Zealand girls in football. Photo / Supplied
Vying for a spot at the Fifa Women’s World Cup herself, Bunge said it’s very sad Western Springs’ drama has played out on the eve of the world’s largest female sporting event.
“The game has grown huge but the case with the Springs, leading up to a World Cup in New Zealand ... We’re still having issues?
“It’s really sad but sometimes change doesn’t happen unless these things happen.
