Carusa on Saudi sponsorship stance amid FIFA silence

Republic of Ireland attacker Kyra Carusa has said FIFA are yet to respond to an open letter sent over five months ago that was signed by more than 100 professional female footballers urging the world governing body to end its partnership with oil and gas conglomerate Saudi Aramco.

In April, FIFA signed a four-year deal which will see Aramco become a worldwide partner, including in the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sports like football, Formula One and golf in the last few years while critics, including women's rights groups and members of the LGBTQ community, accuse the kingdom of using its Public Investment Fund (PIF) to "sportswash" its human rights record. The country denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.

"Unfortunately no," Carusa replied when asked if FIFA had made any contact.

Outlining her reasons for signing it, she added: "I think on a moral standpoint, when we are on these platforms and the people we choose to work with and align with, that core values... we are in agreement in that sense of what we're funding, and what we’re part of, and what we want to put on a pedestal.

"It’s important to recognise that there is accountability to be held. Just because you want to put women’s players on a pedestal doesn’t take over the fact what is being pushed or an agenda that’s being pushed, kind of the fact that women aren’t necessarily a priority."

Carusa is looking to help the Girls in Green atone for a really poor showing against Slovenia in February when they slumped to a 4-0 Nations League defeat. She was stationed on the right wing, and was the brightest creative spark for an Ireland team that completely malfunctioned out of possession.

They face Greece in Crete on Friday, desperate to right the wrongs of that chastening evening in Koper.

"There are a lot of variables we can't control and but what we can control is what we should be controlling," added Carusa.

"Looking back, we should be rightly frustrated with ourselves knowing there was a lot that we needed to take accountability for and put on our shoulders and a standard that we show up for ourselves.

"Fair play to Slovenia, they took opportunities and put them away, and the game starts to feel like it can slip away from you there in that sense, it becomes a daunting challenge that you have to catch.

"What is truly amazing about the international game is we as players all show up from different clubs from all over the world and we spend, literally, minutes in comparison to what we spend with our club teams.

"And you're trying to basically qualify and do the craziest things with the minuscule time you have together. It’s finding that, finetuning that niche balance between you having such limited time together, how are we going to execute and get this job done... with our squad and stuff like that? I get that’s what Carla (Ward) is trying to do."

Watch Greece v Republic of Ireland in the Women's Nations League on Friday from 3pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra

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