Emma Hayes: Chelsea Manager Expresses Support for Fran Kirby’s Courage in Addressing Body Image Issues

Chelsea Manager Proud of Fran Kirby’s Body Image Advocacy

In a recent interview with Chelsea, England midfielder Fran Kirby opened up about the stigma surrounding nutrition in women’s football. She highlighted the pressure players face regarding their weight and appearance on TV.

Emma Hayes, the manager of Chelsea, expressed her pride in Kirby for speaking out on this issue. Hayes stated that she was glad Kirby had verbalized what many female players often fail to acknowledge.

Kirby missed this year’s Women’s World Cup due to knee surgery but made a successful comeback by starting her first game for Chelsea after eight months and returning to international duty as a substitute in England’s win against Belgium last week.

Kirby emphasized the significant impact nutrition has on injury prevention and recovery but also noted how it tends to be overlooked because of the emphasis placed on body image in women’s football.

“As women’s football continues to grow, it has become more evident that individuals receive comments about their weight and appearance,” said Kirby. “However, these factors should not dictate our worth or value as athletes.”

Hayes disagreed with the necessity of weigh-ins or body composition tests in women’s football. She urged media outlets to be mindful of potential insecurities among players and condemned body shaming as a real problem faced by female athletes.

The coach called attention to issues related to underfueling and underloading within sports caused by societal demands for certain physical appearances along with negative influences from social media platforms.

Chelsea is set to face Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League on Saturday.