Staff Reporter.
The International Olympic Committee believes Fifa’s plans to hold a men’s World Cup every two years pose a threat to other sports and gender equality.
Biennial World Cups could cause a clash between the football showpiece and the Olympic Games – a major event in the women’s football calendar.
An IOC statement said conflicts with other events “would undermine the diversity and development” of sports.
It added more men’s events would create “challenges” for women’s football.
IOC wants to have more discussions over controversial plans by the world soccer body FIFA to hold the World Cup every two years instead of every four.
Earlier in October, a joint statement from Uefa and 10 European women’s leagues said the plans could be “profoundly detrimental”.
In September men’s league confirmed their opposition governing body Fifa’s idea, which would mean the women’s World Cup taking place in the same summer as a major men’s tournament.
“A number of international federations of other sports, national football federations, clubs, players, player associations and coaches have expressed strong reservations and concerns regarding the plans to generate more revenue for FIFA,” the IOC’s Executive Board said in a statement.
The IOC said it “shares concerns” raised by other sporting bodies, including around player welfare, stating doubling the frequency of the World Cup “would create a further massive strain on the physical and mental health of the players”.
The Olympic governing body said it supports calls for a wider consultation with athletes’ representatives adding that this “has obviously not taken place”.
FIFA’s proposals are set to be voted on in December by the 211 member associations of global soccer’s governing body, with president Gianni Infantino, also an IOC member, travelling the world to rally support for the plan, which has been fronted by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.