Swedish footballers had to “show their genitals” to the team’s medical employee to prove they were female throughout the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany, a former team captain has revealed.
Former centre-back Nilla Fischer, 38, who played 194 matches for her country, wrote in a latest book titled “I Didn’t Even Tell Half” that the physiotherapist carried out invasive checks on behalf of the team doctor, the London Times reports.
“We were told we shouldn’t shave ‘there’ in the approaching days and that we might show the doctor our genitals,” Fischer wrote.
“[We think:] “Why are we forced to do that now, there should be other ways to do it. Should we decline?’” she wrote. “At the identical time, nobody wants to waste the chance to play on the World Cup. We just have to get it over with, irrespective of how sick and humiliating it feels.
![Sweden women's national soccer team](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/NYPICHPDPICT000012628074.jpg?w=1024)
![Former Swedish women's national soccer team captain Nilla Fischer in action](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/NYPICHPDPICT000012628071.jpg?w=697)
Fischer noted that the environment throughout the team seemed “protected”, nevertheless it was unclear why players were asked to show their privates when swabs could possibly be used to determine gender using DNA as a substitute.
“I understand what I even have to do and quickly pull off my training pants and knickers at the identical time,” Fischer told the Swedish news site Aftonbladet, according to the London Times.
“The physical therapist nods and says, ‘Yes,’ after which looks on the doctor who has his back to my door,” she said. “Once everyone in our team has been examined, that’s, exposed to the vagina, our team doctor can confirm that the Sweden women’s national football team is made up entirely of women.”
![Nilla Fischer of Sweden (right) waits in the tunnel ahead of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup third place match between Sweden and France.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/NYPICHPDPICT000012628071-1.jpg?w=1024)
The gender testing was carried out after allegations from Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana that the Equatorial Guinea team consisted of three men: Genoveva Anonma, Slimat Simpore and Biliguis Simpore.
Mats Börjesson, Sweden’s 2011 team doctor, said FIFA had requested a gender check after allegations against the Equatorial Guinea team.
“The sporting world was trying to create fairness for ladies not to train all their lives, after which someone got here together with an unjustified advantage,” he said. according to the Telegraph.
![The Sweden national team celebrates after scoring their second goal during the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Group C match against the United States.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/NYPICHPDPICT000012628074-1.jpg?w=1024)
It is known that while FIFA required gender testing for the 2011 tournament, it didn’t ask nations to conduct the particular physical examination that Fischer described in her book.
“Now we have taken note of Nilla Fischer’s recent comments on her experiences and gender confirmation tests conducted by the Swedish national team on the 2011 Women’s World Cup,” the world authority said in an announcement.