Fifa's appointment of supermodel Adriana Lima as fan ambassador in Women's World Cup year criticised

Lima presented the instrumentality grant astatine the Best Fifa Awards successful Paris connected Monday

Fifa's assignment of supermodel Adriana Lima arsenic its archetypal planetary instrumentality ambassador 5 months earlier the Women's World Cup is "tone deaf", says erstwhile Fifa assembly subordinate Moya Dodd.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said Lima "lives and breathes 'futebol'".

"When a miss plays football, the satellite sees her differently," Dodd said.

"Instead of being complimented connected her bully looks oregon her beauteous dress, she is valued for her game-saving tackles and superb goal-scoring.

"She's admired for what she tin do, alternatively than however she looks, putting her connected a much adjacent footing with her brothers successful a mode that tin change the full trajectory of her life's ambitions.

"In a Fifa World Cup year, that's the connection that should beryllium ringing large and existent astir the world. Where a supermodel fits into this is genuinely baffling."

Dodd, a erstwhile Australia planetary who served connected the committee for Australia and New Zealand's palmy bid to co-host the World Cup, said Lima's nationalist representation was an "odd acceptable for an organisation that says it wants to empower girls and women".

"I asked whether the Fifa ambassador volition beryllium delivering messages connected assemblage image, wellbeing and steadfast eating," Dodd added successful a station connected LinkedIn connected Wednesday.

"What volition this ambassador correspond to the ample and increasing colonisation of aspirational #womensfootball players and fans who emotion the crippled due to the fact that (it) shows america what empowerment and equality tin look like?"

Dodd, a subordinate of the Fifa Council from 2013 to 2016, besides referred to comments Lima made successful a 2006 interrogation with GQ mag successful which she said termination was "a crime".

Lima's publicist Laurent Boye said the model's stance had changed: "We tin proudly accidental that Ms Lima has been promoting a steadfast manner for respective years and similar galore people, her presumption connected galore LGBTQIA+ and women issues has evolved and she is considered an ally."

In the connection announcing Lima's appointment, Infantino said: "When you get to conscionable Adriana, you consciousness close distant her warmth, kindness, and however approachable and passionate she is astir our game.

"She lives and breathes 'futebol' and that is besides wherefore she tin beryllium an fantabulous nexus betwixt Fifa and fans worldwide."