Associate Professor, Sport Studies & Associate Director, Research Training at Victoria University
Origin histories, especially those surrounding national team selection, are to me kind of arbitrary but this historiographical debate is significant. As Tracey Holmes so nicely captures: "History is never a straight path- it has twists and turns, it inspires debates and disagreements, it is often challenged". While the origins of men's sport and team selections have inspired rigorous and vigorous debate and discussion in Australia for decades, women's sport has not received the same treatment. For example, despite the popularity and success of netball in Australia its origins have only been studied by a handful of historians. There are no real twists and turns in that history because not all that many people have cared to argue over it. That is not to suggest women's sport histories haven't been written but when they are they are rarely challenged. The truth of women's sport history is largely uncontested. I have said elsewhere we need to be cautious about claiming the 'Matildas effect' as evidence of a gender revolution in sport but there is something in this historical disagreement. This is about more than just naming and celebrating a national team. The arguments surrounding the first Matildas reveal that there is something at stake, something worth arguing over. So for what it's worth I'm following the to and fro with optimistic interest.
The Sports Ambassador | Experienced International Journalist, Professorial Fellow, Director
The First Matildas - controversial or correcting an historical omission? When Football Australia announced this past week it was recognising the 1975 team of Australian women who played in an international tournament in Hong Kong, thereby changing the historical record of Australia's national Matildas team, there was understandably some confusion, anger, and a lot of questions. A moment of celebration for the women of 1975 has been tempered by those who disagree with the recognition. History is never a straight path - it has twists and turns, it inspires debates and disagreements, it is often challenged. So why did Football Australia feel the need to make the change, and what was the criteria used? Chairman Anter Isaac told The Sports Ambassador podcast there was precedent, and the now established criteria will be used to gauge any future challenges to recognition of national players and teams. Matildas Alumni spokesperson, Renaye Iserief, speaks about the confusion that remains and the impact on Matildas players; the newly recognised first captain of the Matildas, Pat O'Connor, details the specifics around the 1975 tournament which was the precursor to today's Asian Cup; and Dr Karen Menzies, who has been recognised for almost four decades as Australia's first Indigenous Matildas representative shares her story of the importance of football and handing over the 'first Indigenous player' title to Aunty Tarita Yvonne Peters. #governance #ethics #transparency #matildas #football #soccer #FIFA #AFC #footballaustralia #politics #sport https://lnkd.in/g7GdM-Rr
Well that's a really cool take that I hadn't considered. Just the fact that it's "worth" fighting for...🤯
Tracey Holmes
3mo
Very valid points, Fiona, thanks for the post.
Lecturer of Communication - Sports Media at Deakin University
3moSo very well said Fiona, and I so very much appreciate your work in this space to bring discussions about women’s sport history to light.