Kuala Lumpur: AFC Women’s Director Youn Bokyoung feels Asian women are breaking barriers in their quest to take women’s football to a higher plane.
Despite certain challenges in the development of women’s football, Asian women are rising to the occasion and will set good examples to others especially the young ones, says Youn.
One moment of truth for Asian women’s football, feels Youn, is the Afghan national women’s team’s international debut in Bangladesh last year after having faced many challenges.
They were up against teams from countries where women’s soccer was well established during the inaugural South Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship in 2010 in the South Asian country.
Youn is confident women’s football in Afghanistan has a chance to improve despite the challenges and current situation in the country.
She said: “They need to increase the number of youth competitions as well as coaching courses referee courses.
“Despite the lack of football activity, national player Khalida Popal is one of the passionate players and she is also in charge of women's football administration in her country.
“She really wants to develop Afghan women's football and believes that their dream will come true sooner,” said Youn.
The Afghan team had faced many challenges, among them, having no place to train, except for a Nato helipad which was the only safe place for them to play and which they had to vacate each time a helicopter came down to land.
“I hate helicopters, but anywhere else, we would not be able to play...,” Popal, one of the longest-serving team members, was quoted as saying.
Wahidullah Wahidi, the team's coach, said: “Just competing internationally will be enough of a victory."
