Racism is not the only problem in football, let us not forget sexism

There is no question we should raise questions about how the football authorities are dealing with or, more accurately, failing to tackle the issue of race. But let us not forget that while skin colour remains a huge problem being a woman in the game is no easy task as Ebru Koksal, Board member of Galatasaray, knows all too well.

She was on the panel I chaired at the recent International Football Arena in Zurich, the only woman with football experience at the conference. And what Koksal told me afterwards of her experiences both of being a woman, and a Turkish woman at that, should make all male football administrators hang their heads in shame. It proves that their claims that they are doing much to promote the women's game is a myth. As for providing equal opportunities to capable women to play an active role in the administration of football, such a concept just does not exist.