Shropshire FA defends ban on women playing charity game with men
The Shropshire FA has defended a decision not to allow women football players to play a friendly football match with men to raise money for charity.
The football game, which is taking place on Sunday at Market Drayton Town FC, has been arranged to raise funds for Luna's Legacy, a charity that works with families who have lost children as well as raising funds to improve hospital facilities.
The game was to help the good cause raise money for a ball to mark its five-year anniversary.
Some women players were hoping to get involved in the match but unfortunately FA rules stipulate that it cannot affiliate mixed teams.
The Shropshire FA said that female players could only get involved as coaches or as line referees as its rules did not allow men and women to play together.
Andy Weston, acting CEO and senior safeguarding lead at the Shropshire FA, said they were "fully supportive of the charity match and have sanctioned it accordingly".
But he added that the organisation was bound by national the "FA Rule JS" which states: "Players in a match must be of the same gender save for matches in a playing season in the age groups under-7 to under-18 inclusive (as defined in the player status rules)."
The charity game for Luna's Legacy takes place on Sunday at 2pm. More details can be found on the charity's Facebook page: facebook.com/lunaserenvespa.
Luna's Legacy is a charity for bereaved parents mainly in Shropshire.
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