Marta Cox has threatened not to play for Panama again after the president of Panama’s football federation (FEPAFUT) called her “fat” and “out of shape”.
Manuel Arias made the comments after Cox complained about the facilities in Panama following the team’s group exit at the Concacaf W Gold Cup last month.
Players union Fifpro called the president’s comments “unacceptable”.
“If this type of situation becomes a constant, I will not return for the national team,” said midfielder Cox.
“There were words used to describe me that certainly hurt me and were unexpected.”
The 26-year-old, who plays for Tijuana in Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil, scored Panama’s first Women’s World Cup goal last summer – a 35-yard free-kick during their 6-3 defeat by France.
Panama were still eliminated after failing to earn a point during their three group games, just as they were in the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, which concludes on Sunday with hosts the USA facing Brazil in the final.
Cox’s comments angered FEPAFUT president Arias, who said: “Marta Cox stopped to talk about our league. She’s out of shape, she’s fat, she couldn’t move on the pitch.
“It’s very easy to talk, but she doesn’t know anything about the Panama league for years. She doesn’t know what’s going on here.”
‘There is still a lot more work to do’
Panama made their first Women’s World Cup appearance last year, conceding 11 goals and scoring three, and in the Gold Cup they conceded 13 while scoring just one.
In a statement through Panama’s Association of Professional Footballers, Cox said: “After the World Cup, I expected so much more. That desire to see steady progress led me to speak out after an unfortunate performance in the Gold Cup.
“We are the first to recognise that we were not up to the standard of the tournament, but that same introspection must go beyond just the players.”
FEPAFUT has posted an apology for Arias’ comments, saying that “he himself has pledged that it will not be repeated”.
The federation added: “On International Women’s Day… we regret the unfortunate term used by our president.
“In the federation we are committed to continue working for women’s football, as we have been doing for the last five years through sports and training programmes focused on women.
“That said, we know that there is still a lot more work to do.”