Before the 2011 World Cup in Germany, players from Sweden are said to have had to expose themselves in a gender test. During the physical examination, it should be checked whether all footballers are actually women, reports former Swedish international Nilla Fischer, according to the British “Guardian”. The report is based on revelations from the 38-year-old’s biography, which was published last Friday.
As Fischer, who played 189 full internationals for Sweden between 2001 and 2022, in her book Jag sa inte ens halves (I didn’t even say half), quoted by the English Guardian, writes that she had to undress in front of a physiotherapist who had been commissioned by a doctor. She experienced the whole process as “humiliating”.
The gender tests were carried out because, before the World Cup, several nations had alleged that men were also playing in the Equatorial Guinea team. As a result, the world football association FIFA initiated controls.
Team doctor confirms controls
The Guardian further reports that FIFA has taken note of Nilla Fischer’s recent comments regarding her experience and the gender verification tests conducted by the Swedish national team at the 2011 Women’s World Cup.
The then Swedish team doctor, Mats Börjesson, confirmed the controls to the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. He considered the purpose of the investigations to be justifiable. FIFA doesn’t do this to want to be mean to anyone.