Arsenal has responded to fan criticism that their women’s first squad without a single player of color, declaring that rectifying the lack of diversity is a “priority.”
The snapshot of the 27-player team quickly went viral online, garnering over four million views as fans criticized the ‘shocking’ and ‘concerning’ absence of any players of color.
Arsenal have now gone on record to address the worries of fans.
When analyzing the Lionesses side that won Euro 2022 last year, the subject of diversity in the women’s game became even more prominent.
‘We acknowledge our current women’s first-team squad does not reflect the diversity that exists across the club and the communities we represent,’ Arsenal said in a statement to The Athletic.
For the Lionesses, there were just three mixed-race players.
‘Increasing participation among young women and girls from diverse backgrounds is a key priority for us at academy level, with specific measures in place to improve pathways and accessibility.’
The statement added: ‘Across all our teams, including our men’s and women’s academies, we’re proud of our players from diverse backgrounds who have contributed to our history, success and culture.
According to the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), close to 10% of Women’s Super League players will be retired by 2021-22. It is currently thought that amount has climbed by 5%.
