NOS Football•today, 20:32
The public celebration of the women’s team of Ajax on the Leidseplein in Amsterdam is cancelled. The Ajax women would be honored next Monday, but according to the municipality of Amsterdam, the Ajax management has asked to waive this.
The Amsterdam women won the national title earlier this month.
Last week the national champion was received by mayor Femke Halsema and alderman Sofyan Mbarki of Sport and it was announced that the women would receive a public tribute.
“Unfortunately, without the cooperation of the club, the mayor and the alderman see no possibility to organize a successful ceremony this season,” says a statement from the municipality.
‘Not good for imaging’
Ajax says in a response that it “does not support the moment and location of the ceremony offered”. “The championship has been a while (May 7) and the momentum is therefore over. And it is suspected that the turnout is disappointing, which is not good for the image of women’s football,” said the club.
“The lack of joy in and around Ajax in general (in connection with the performance of the Ajax 1 men this season) also plays a role in this,” says Ajax. “We think it is unwise to honor the Ajax women in the city next week and not a good signal to the Ajax women or to our fans either.”
For the women of Ajax it was the third national title after 2017 and 2018. The women’s team has never received a public tribute before.
Watch a summary of the Ajax women’s championship match:
Supreme Ajax women conquer the national title for the first time since 2018
The AFCA Supporters Club, one of Ajax’s two recognized supporters associations, announced earlier in the day that it was against a tribute to the women, because of the otherwise disappointing season and because it would be “a political statement”.
‘Holiday only for Ajax 1’
The association writes in a statement, among other things, that a public ceremony in Amsterdam should only be reserved for Ajax 1, the men’s first team.
The men of Ajax had a season full of sporting malaise and without prizes. They can at most finish second in the Eredivisie next Sunday.
According to Het Parool, sources in Amsterdam’s city hall say that the supporters’ club’s statement influenced Ajax’s decision to cancel the ceremony. But that is denied by Ajax.
