Zambia’s Barbra Banda abused online after winning BBC award amid gender storm
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Zambian soccer player Barbra Banda has faced a storm of criticism online following her victory for the BBC's Women's Footballer of the Year award.
Banda, who scores a lot of goals for the Orlando Pride, was taken aback when she was presented with an award during a team gathering. Her fellow players erupted in cheers and claps, while Banda expressed her disbelief and surprise at receiving the honor. She tweeted a message of encouragement to young girls in Africa, saying, "Hold on to your dreams and put in the effort; I promise they can come true."
However, she faced a wave of criticism, with countless comments labeling her as “a man” and claiming that she was “taking advantage” of other female athletes by winning the prize.
The allegations arose from reports from two years back indicating that the Zambian football federation (Faz) removed Banda from the team for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco because they were worried she might not pass a gender verification test required by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
It was later confirmed that she never underwent the test, but Andrew Kamanga, the president of the Zambian federation, stated at the time: "Every player had to go through a gender verification process, as required by Caf, and unfortunately, she failed to meet their standards."
It has been frequently mentioned that Banda's natural testosterone levels exceeded the maximum limit set by the Caf, and that she declined to use hormone suppression medications because she was worried about their possible side effects.
Banda's representative, Anton Maksimov, explained back then that she was never actually "banned" from taking part in Wafcon, and that she did not have to go through any gender verification tests prior to the event.
"The choice to not include Barbra in the tournament at this time stems from Faz's own assessment of her physical state prior to their arrival in Morocco," he stated. "I want to emphasize that there are no known rules that would stop Barbra from taking part in Wafcon 2022. Additionally, she has passed all relevant medical evaluations."
Even though there isn’t any proof of misconduct and Banda has been able to carry on with her life and work in the US without any issues, she has faced a barrage of insults, much of which has targeted her looks.
The BBC has faced significant backlash, even though it wasn't involved in selecting Banda as the winner. The shortlist for the award was created by a group of independent football specialists, and the final winner was determined through a public vote.
Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies expressed her feelings on social media, saying, "It's really unfortunate that the BBC is promoting the dismantling and reduction of opportunities for female athletes in sports. I feel discouraged and let down that they are openly supporting this injustice."
The writer JK Rowling posted on Twitter: “I guess the BBC thought this would save time compared to knocking on doors to insult women in person.”
The BBC announced: "In addition to competing in the last two Olympic Games and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Barbra Banda is a member of the Zambian national women's team and plays for Orlando Pride in the USA, making her fully qualified for this award that recognizes exceptional talent in women's football."
The shortlist of five players was created by a panel of experts, including current and former athletes, coaches, and journalists. They based their selections on performances over the past year. The winner will be chosen through public voting.
