‘Why do we need a supermodel?’: Backlash after Fifa makes Adriana Lima Women’s World Cup ambassador

Fifa’s decision to appoint supermodel Adriana Lima as an official ambassador for the Women’s World Cup was “tone deaf” and unnecessary, according to former football administrators, players and gender equality campaigners.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said Lima, a former Victoria’s Secret model, “lives and breathes” football and would be an “excellent link” between the sporting body and fans worldwide. Lima describes herself as a football fan, but appears to have had no official involvement in the sport before now.

Moya Dodd, a former vice-captain of the Australian women’s team who once led Fifa’s taskforce on the women’s game, was staggered by the appointment. She questioned the message it sent to female athletes who wanted to be treated as equal to men.

After her tweet questioning whether Lima’s appointment was appropriate made international headlines, Dodd further elaborated on her criticism. She raised concerns about Lima saying she starved herself for nine days before fashion shows and highlighted her 2006 description of abortion as “a crime”.

“What will this ambassador represent to the large and growing population of aspirational women football players and fans who love the game because it shows us what empowerment and equality can look like?” Dodd said.

“Because when a girl plays football, the world sees her differently. Instead of being complimented on her nice looks or her pretty dress, she is valued for her game-saving tackles and brilliant goal-scoring.

“She’s admired for what she can do, rather than how she looks, putting her on a more equal footing with her brothers in a way that can alter the whole trajectory of her life’s ambitions.”

Women Sport Australia, the peak body for gender equality campaigners in