FIFA appoint first Women's Football Head

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October 11, 2016 5:52 PM

The governing body of world football has taken yet another giant stride towards diversity

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World football governing body FIFA on Tuesday announced the appointment of a Chief Womens Football Officer.

Sarai Bareman has been given the honour of leading FIFA's first ever division for women's football.

The New Zealander, who will start work on November 14, will run the newly created department, and will report directly to FIFA Deputy Secretary General Zvonimir Boban.

Bareman brings to the job a wealth of experience in football administration. Having been the C.E.O of the Football Federation of Samoa (FFS) from 2011 to 2014, she later became the Chief Operations Officer of the Oceania Football Confederation, before rising to become the body's Deputy General Secretary. She also boasts 10 years' experience within the Banking and Finance sector in her native New Zealand.

While serving in Samoa, Bareman famously remarked: “I have this fire that is burning deep within me. It’s a fire that is burning for me to succeed, to make a difference, to fulfill my purpose and to lead the way. To lead the way for every woman I’ve seen beaten and abused, for every girl who is bullied and teased because of her gender, for every woman who has had to work twice as hard as any man and for every girl who has had her hopes and dreams trodden upon because she’s a female.”

She is the only woman to have served on FIFA's Reform Committee, receiving praise for her strong advocacy for women's representation amid efforts to reshape FIFA in the wake of the infamous reign of Sepp Blatter.

Many attribute the Reform Committee's recommendation to beef up women's recognition within FIFA, something that received a unanimous vote at FIFA's extraordinary Congress in February, to Bareman's fiery lobbying.

"Building on the FIFA’s commitment to further support and promote the development of women’s football as well as women in football, Sarai brings a background in financial industries and football administration to the role of Chief Women’s Football Officer," said FIFA.

"She also brings a lifelong passion for the game, having played from childhood. Encouraged by her father, a coach – she pursued her love of the game to the highest level representing the Samoan Women’s National Football Team."

Bareman becomes FIFA President Gianni Infantino's second high profile women's appointment. Back in May, the Swiss-Italian hired Fatma Samoura, the 54-year-old Senegalese who spent many decades working for the United Nations, as FIFA's first woman General Secretary.

Samoura, who began work in June, became FIFA's 10th Secretary General and the first ever to hail from outside Europe.

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