SAFF winner Sumaya reveals receiving ‘countless death and rape threats’
"Over the past few days, I have received countless death and rape threats—words that have shattered me in ways I never imagined," wrote Bangladesh women's football team forward Matsushima Sumaya in a Facebook post that has reverberated across the nation today.
Her message emerged amidst a turbulent period, as 18 out of 30 national team players -- including Sumaya -- boycotted the training camp, demanding the removal of head coach Peter Butler. The Englishman, recently reinstated, had guided the team during their SAFF Women's Championship title defence in Nepal last year -- a tournament where tensions between him and senior players first surfaced.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Sumaya's Facebook post did not just convey personal pain; they also reflected the deep frustrations felt by her teammates.
"Ever since I chose this path, my dream was to inspire young students whose parents only wanted them to focus on studies. I wanted to show that passion and dedication can break barriers. But today, I sit here with regret—regret for sacrificing my education, my family, my Eids, all to serve a country that doesn't know how to appreciate our struggles," wrote the 23-year-old who was born and raised in Japan.
"I fought with my parents to pursue football, believing that my country would stand by me. But the reality is different. Nobody truly cares about an athlete's mental health. I do have the minimum ability to write a letter in English for me and teammates about the situations we have gone through," she asserted.
On Wednesday, captain Sabina Khatun, alongside teammates Sanjida Akter and Masura Parvin, Monika Chakma, presented a three-page letter to the media, outlining their grievances against Butler. In response, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) formed a Special Committee to investigate the matter.
One member of the seven-person committee, speaking anonymously to The Daily Star, expressed scepticism over how the players had composed the letter in English, questioning whether external forces had influenced its creation.
"It seems someone wrote the letter for the players outside the team, though they told us that Sumaya Matsushima wrote it. However, we doubt it. It seems someone is fuelling the players," the committee member remarked.
During Wednesday's emotionally charged press conference, Sabina Khatun was moved to tears as she described the torrent of abuse they had been enduring.
"We have nothing to prove anymore. This is about self-respect. At the end of the day, we play for the nation, but it is impossible to endure the insults we are receiving," she said, her voice breaking.
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