In an unprecedented move, Palmeiras president Leila Pereira held a news conference exclusively for female journalists to underscore the underrepresentation of women in football.
Acknowledging her unique position as the sole female club president across Brazil’s three main divisions, Pereira openly admitted to often feeling isolated in her role.
“Having just one woman in front of a big club in South America is not normal,” Pereira said in the news conference.
“Why does it happen? Because we suffer several restrictions that prevent us from getting where we can go.
“I’m not going to solve the problem of machismo in Brazil and the world, much less in football, but with the strength of Palmeiras, we can be an example.”
More than a dozen female journalists took part in the extensive two-hour news conference hosted at the Football Academy. Leila Pereira, elected as Palmeiras’ first female president in 2021, emphasised the necessity for structural transformations within the club to promote gender equality.
Responding to criticism about the exclusive access granted to female journalists at the news conference, Pereira defended the decision, advising against undue alarm and stating, “Don’t be hysterical.”