Human rights issues swirl around the Women’s Asian Cup. They cannot be ignored | Samantha Lewis

There is a glaring contrast between the Asian Football Confederation’s corporate dream and the structural realities of the tournament in AustraliaJust over a year ago, 18 senior players from the Bangladesh women’s national team threatened to retire from international football in protest of their alleged treatment by their head coach.In an emotional media conference, captain Sabina Khatun stood in front of a tangle of microphones – in an image reminiscent of Lydia Williams when the Matildas went on strike in 2015 – of verbal abuse, body shaming, mental harassment, and inappropriate comments about their private lives.