The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #CrackingTheCode: Innovation for a gender equal future. Which involves leveraging technologies to “combat generational and systemic gender-based discrimination, embedded in our culture bias for generations.”
Disrupting this bias is not a simple process. Bias is something that women have had to encounter their entire lives – in their workplaces, homes and unfortunately, often in football as well.
Ebru Köksal is one of the most recognisable faces in football administration. A journey that began in investment banking in 1990 has led the Turkish-born 54-year-old to trailblazing heights, including becoming the COO and CEO of Turkish giants Galatasaray, and becoming the first woman to be elected to the board of the European Club Association in 2010.
She currently is a non-executive director on the board of the Professional Footballers Association in the UK and a chair of an NGO, Women in Football. In August 2022, she was named as Football Australia’s representative on the board of the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).
It is an enormously impressive CV that was not achieved without its challenges. In 2000, after the birth of her second child, she found her contract terminated at the private equity fund where she worked.
“Having two very young children, my boss didn’t think that I could keep up with the pace of the fund,” she explained.
It is an experience that is a common one for women throughout the world – an entrenched erroneous belief that having children will impact workplace performance.
For Köksal, this experience led her to Turkish giants Galatasaray, where she worked for more than 15 years.
“I transitioned over to Galatasaray as an interim CFO for 6 months but it ended up turning into a career of more than 15 years,” she recalled.
“I become quickly the CEO of the club, and then a board member. I was for a short while the general secretary of the Turkish FA and just before that, I was elected to the board of European Club Association in 2010.”
In her own words, how did her career take the trajectory that it did?
“Part of it was being brave and courageous, and not fearing failure,” she said.
“I put up my hand. I was nominated. I tried to convince everybody that I was the best candidate to serve the interests of our division, and that I was well positioned to take European football forward.
“The lesson has always been for me that, even though as women sometimes we think that we may not be ticking all the boxes for a position, we’re actually underestimating ourselves. We have all the capabilities and skills necessary to perform whatever task is ahead of us.
“It’s been a big passion of mine - for the last 10 years especially - to help other women to gain more courage, to gain more confidence, and to go for bigger leadership roles.”
Köksal is a trailblazer in football because she has so often been the first woman in her position, or the only female voice on a decision making panel. The UN’s International Women’s Day explainer argues that “we need to disrupt the current codes of behaviours, beliefs and systems that foster entrenched inequality.” Her career has gone a long way to doing so.
However, to be the first at anything is not easy. We often talk about trailblazers, but not about the difficulties of being the first. Köksal is adamant that speaking about her challenges are just as important as speaking about her successes in fostering the next generation of female leadership in football.
“I think what’s important is that we always hear about the successes of leaders but life is not such a straight line – it’s a jungle gym,” she said.
“We do fall. We do get up, but sometimes we need to walk sideways or backwards in order to advance again.”
There are unique hurdles to being a trailblazer that others don’t have to overcome.
“The biggest problem was that I always felt like I was not only responsible for myself, and performing as Ebru Köksal, but performing on behalf of the many women who might one day hopefully be candidates for the same top-level positions,” she said.
“I thought that if I made a mistake or if I failed, it would forever ruin the chances for others to come and follow in my footsteps. That puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulders!
“You feel like you need to perform really well, so that all the decision makers understand the importance of having diverse voices and difference experiences around the board room table or around the senior leadership team.”
Women are less than 10% of representation on the boards of football clubs and governing bodies around the world, and are only 7 – 10% of coaches and referees. Improved opportunities, pathways and investment for women are vital for them to be able to crack the code and be granted the same opportunities as men.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup™, being held in Australia and New Zealand in July and August 2023, will provide ample opportunities for women in football – whether that be on the pitch, or in the administration of the game.
“The support that is rallied around women’s football always trickles into women in football as well,” Köksal explained.
“It’s not just about women’s football but creating also the pathways from women and girls participating in the game, to transitioning into careers in football. I think the more visible the women’s game - and women working in both the women’s and men’s games become - there is more equitable resourcing.
“It is a big advocacy work of mine to make sure that those diverse people are sitting around the decision-making tables. A World Cup is a great way to showcase some of the trailblazers and leaders coming out of women’s football transitioning into other positions as well.”
Football can be so powerful as a tool to drive equity because it is a universal language. It is something that unites nations – whoever you are, you can feel connected to your football team.
Despite not being Australian, Köksal cited the run of the Socceroos at the Men’s World Cup in Qatar as an example of how football can bring people together.
The legacy that a home World Cup can leave will be the most powerful part of the tournament.
“Yes, it is a wonderful tournament that brings teams from all over the world but then the important part is; what is left behind? What is the lasting legacy in the ground?” Köksal said.
“The CommBank Matildas and Football Australia are working very hard with member federations to deliver the sustainable outcomes which will hopefully change the landscape from access to growing up in the different pathways for talent.
“Whether it’s in the playing pathway, refereeing pathway, coaching pathway, or the administration pathway, it is a great opportunity to ensure that there is a seismic change and exponential growth in the number of women and girls that we see in and around the game.”
It is these opportunities that will lead to #CrackingTheCode for future generations in football.
