A directive by FIFA to cover the plaques of seven Australian athletes at Allianz Stadium ahead of the Women’s World Cup has been quickly reversed amid outrage from the sporting community.
FIFA directed the SCG Trust to cover the brass plaques of the statues as part of a “clean-site” policy to remove all unofficial branding from the venue, including the Allianz branding and the Sydney Roosters sign.
Workers remove the coverings of the plaques on Tuesday afternoon.Credit: Nick Moir
Squares were placed over plaques on the statues of Olympic sprinters Marlene Mathews and Betty Cuthbert, rugby legends Ken Catchpole and Trevor Allan, NRL Immortals Reg Gasnier and Dally Messenger, and even Socceroos skipper Johnny Warren.
However, that directive was quickly taken back by FIFA on Tuesday afternoon amid backlash from families of the sporting stars.
“FIFA has today re-confirmed with all venues that the names on any statues or plaques at FIFA Women’s World Cup sites should not be covered,” FIFA said in a statement.
Player statue plaques were covered up.Credit: Nick Moir
At 2.30pm on Tuesday workers could be seen taking off the coverings from the plaques.
Johnny Warren’s nephew Jamie said he was disgusted by the initial direction from FIFA.
“It’s just bamboozling, I don’t know why FIFA would do such a thing,” he said.
“[Johnny] was ordered the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit just months prior to him passing away in 2004. It’s a stupid decision.”
A spokesman for the SCG Trust said the venue only did what was instructed of them by FIFA.
“The plaques were covered at FIFA’s directions,” he said.
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