‘Toxic’ culture of Australian women’s football again under the spotlight – as fresh initiative is launched to ensure player safety and wellbeing

More than three years after bombshell revelations of a ‘toxic’ culture at the Matildas, Professional Footballers Australia has launched a new initiative to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of all professional players.

The Safe Football Project aims to ‘establish professional football as Australia’s safest sport for women by providing a platform to better identify, address, and remedy incidents and risks of abuse and harassment’.

In 2021, former Matildas star Lisa De Vanna shocked the football world after revealing incidents of sexual harassment, grooming and bullying during her legendary career.

Further investigations came to the conclusion Australian football was ‘falling short’ when it came to the ongoing safety and wellbeing of players at all levels.

As a result of De Vanna’s claims, Sport Integrity Australia investigated a multitude of claims and three cases were referred to the police. But the bulk of claims were ruled as beyond their scope to investigate.

Now the PFA have, through the the Safe Football Project report, called for a ‘comprehensive review of current safeguarding frameworks’ to focus on ‘power dynamics, organisational culture, player voice, coach education, remedy routes, policy review, and bystander intervention’.

The Project, which remains in development, will aim the enhance the capacity to respond to abuse within football and ‘proactively protect players’.

‘A safe workplace is a human right,’ PFA co-chief executive Kathryn Gill said.

The likes of Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler (both pictured) have stated they have thrived as footballers in the Matildas’ environment 

A 2023 survey conducted by the Safe Football Project – on behalf of Professional Footballers Australia – revealed 16 per cent of the 172 players interviewed suffered some form of abuse (pictured, action from an A-League women’s match)

‘Our members’ safety and wellbeing at work are our most important priority. However, the Project has shown that Australian football, like most sporting leagues, is falling short.

‘We activated the Safe Football Project not just as a response to past failures but to encourage everyone involved in the sport to address these serious and confronting challenges proactively.

‘The next step is to work together with all stakeholders in Australian football to implement best practice safeguarding measures that are shaped by the people they are designed to protect, the players.

‘I would like to thank the many players who so actively contributed to the development of the Project and the courageous women who have spoken publicly about their experiences of abuse and harassment in the hope of being a catalyst for change.’

The Project’s snap found, via a survey of 172 players in the A-League women’s competition in 2023, 16 per cent reported suffering some kind of abuse.

Amid that revelation the Project’s objectives include establishing an independently operated ‘landing space’ for players to share concerns anonymously, player education initiatives to increase awareness of their rights, and the creation of a charter of rights, which would be placed in the locker room of each club.

The PFA has also engaged Kat Craig, a human rights lawyer with significant experience in sexual abuse, harassment and trauma, to provide expert support for its development of the Project.

Western United star Grace Maher tweeted her support of the PFA initiative on Tuesday.

‘A first step in making real change to allow players to thrive in their workplace,’ she posted on X.

A-Leagues commissioner Nick Garcia said the men’s and women’s professional competitions will soon release their own revamped safeguarding mechanisms for players.

‘We welcome this project and we look forward to working with the PFA, clubs, and other football stakeholders to improve the environment for all players, coaches, and staff,’ he told the ABC.

‘The release of this project coincides with the final stages of the development of the APL Safeguarding Framework. 

‘We hope this, alongside club and venue policies, and the Safe Football Project, will be further proactive steps to help make our game a safe place for all.’