Panamanian midfielder Marta Cox has threatened to leave the national team again after the president of her country's football federation (FEPAFUT) called her “fat” and “out of shape” following her elimination in the W Gold Cup of the Concacaf.
Panama was eliminated from the tournament without scoring a single point in the group stage, suffering tough defeats against Colombia and Brazil.
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Cox had lamented the lack of good facilities in Panama, which infuriated FEPAFUT president Manuel Arias, who told local media: “Marta Cox stopped to talk about our league. She's out of shape, she's fat, she doesn't know.” I could move on the court.
“It's very easy to talk, but she doesn't know anything about the Panama league for years, she doesn't know what's happening here.”
The 26-year-old plays for Tijuana in Mexico's Liga MX Femenil. She made history last year by scoring Panama's first goal in a Women's World Cup (and fastest of the tournament) with a stunning 35-yard free kick against France.
“After the World Cup I expected much more. That desire to see constant progress led me to speak out after an unfortunate performance in the Gold Cup,” he said in a statement through the Panama Professional Soccer Players Association.
“We are the first to admit that we did not live up to the tournament, but that same introspection must go beyond the players. Personally, I feel that there were words used to describe me that certainly hurt me and were unexpected.
“If these types of situations become constant, I will not defend the colors of the Panama team again.”
FEPAFUT posted an apology saying that Arias has promised it will not happen again.
“On International Women's Day… from the Panamanian Football Federation we regret the unfortunate term used by our president Manuel Arias in the local media,” they said.
“He himself has promised that it will not be repeated. In the Federation we are committed to continuing to work for women's football, as we have been doing for five years through sports and training programs focused on women.
“That said, we know there is still a lot of work to do.”
