Corinne Deacon takes a stand on the controversy over the low bonus amounts for the Women’s Euro. The coach of the France team spoke on the subject at a press conference on Monday June 20, believing that UEFA’s financial decisions were not her business, and emphasizing the economic means provided by the French Football Federation (FFF).
“UEFA’s financial allocations are none of my business. What I can tell you is that the Federation gives us all the means we need to prepare well”she explained from Clairefontaine, where the tricolor selection is preparing for the tournament.
The European confederation has planned to pay 2.08 million euros to the winning team of the Women’s Euro (July 6-31), according to the newspaper L’Equipe, a figure much lower than the 28.5 million affected the last summer by Italy after his coronation in the men’s Euro. The French Football Federation donates 30% of UEFA’s global allocation to the players and the technical staff (Deacon and his two deputies), the same mechanism as that used for the boys.
“UEFA’s prize money only concerns the president of the Federation and the financial department. In any case, on our side, I can assure you that we have everything we need to prepare ourselves well and especially to achieve, I hope, the objective which is ours”namely winning the final on July 31 in London, Deacon insisted.
On Saturday, the vice-president of the FFF, Philippe Diallo, indicated that the sums incurred for the French women’s team at the Euro would not even be covered in the event of a title. The participation of Les Bleues in the tournament represents “2.9 million expenses” and, in the event of elimination in the quarter-finals, this would represent “a loss of 1.6 million euros for the federation”he said at the general meeting of the body. “In this competition, even if you win sportingly, you don’t win economically”he summarized.
Asked about the amount of bonuses paid to women, compared to those of boys, Deacon said on Monday that he had no “Of opinion on the question. I am paid today to prepare a team to get this first title which we miss so much, and I am focused on that”.