You don’t want to celebrate women’s gold – because men do it badly

The city of Amsterdam will honor the Ajax women’s team after winning the Eredivisie for the first time in five years. The club says no – partly because the men have not performed according to expectations.

A number of Dutch media, among others nu. nlreport this. ESPN And Dutch news As it was mentioned.

Amsterdam Mayor Fimke Halsema invited the winning women’s team to a party of honor at the city’s famous Leidseplein, but Ajax rejected the offer.

– Ajax asks the mayor to reconsider this. We don’t support the time or the place, Ajax says, according to Dutch news.

He admitted that she played a role

And the club’s management feared that the poor performance of the men’s team, who finished more than ten points behind winners Feyenoord, would mean the celebrations would receive a tepid response.

The women’s team actually captured the series championship on May 7.

Ajax believes that a bad season for the men’s team will dampen the celebration of the women’s team’s victory.

Ajax may miss out on a place in the men’s Champions League for the first time since 2009. There is still one round to go in the league. PSV are in second place – ahead of Ajax – and are likely to take the place that grants Champions League qualification.

– A spokesman for Ajax said, according to ESPN, that the lack of a festive atmosphere around Ajax in general, which is linked to the performance of the men’s team this season, played a role in the decision.

– very disappointed

The decision drew criticism from powerful voices within women’s football.

Football correspondent Amber van Liechout, according to Dutch News, says the decision is a “tremendous shame”, and former senior player Meriel van Dongen stated that “with friends like these, you don’t need enemies”.

– I am very disappointed in what my club was supposed to be, you say.

Mayor Halsema had already honored the women’s team with a reception at her residence, but she also wanted to celebrate them with a ceremony on the balcony in the large square in the center of Amsterdam.