Emma Hayes ‘disappointed’ by criticism of Barbra Banda after Zambia star’s BBC Women’s Footballer award win

Emma Hayes deed retired astatine “ridiculous” remarks aimed astatine Barbra Banda pursuing her BBC Women's Footballer of the Year triumph.

The Orlando Pride and Zambia guardant has been the people of hostile comments and maltreatment online pursuing her grant win. 

Banda, who captains her nationalist side, helped Orlando triumph a National Women’s Soccer League rubric for the archetypal clip successful their past this year. 

However the BBC’s decision to grant her their Women’s Football of the Year has seen the guardant look a torrent of maltreatment and antagonistic remarks online. 

Criticism of the organisation awarding the prize to Banda follows the subordinate being withdrawn from 2 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations contests amid claims she failed a sex eligibility test. 

This includes the tourney hosted successful Morocco 2 years agone which was won by South Africa.

However her cause Anton Maksimov and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) accidental she did not instrumentality a test.

They said her withdrawal was down to the Football Association of Association Zambia.

Author JK Rowling and erstwhile Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies person been among the nationalist figures who criticised Banda’s BBC grant win.  

However immoderate of the women’s crippled astir almighty organisations and individuals person travel to the forward's defence.

This includes Hayes, two-time World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe and the NWSL Players' Association.

Hayes said: "It is ridiculous that she has to endure questions similar this, she has our support.

"She's idiosyncratic who's done a tremendous amount, not conscionable for her nine but for her country, and what a superb play she's had. 

"We should beryllium talking astir that, the interaction she's had connected the NWSL, and we saw it firsthand successful the Olympics (when she played for Zambia)."

"Quite frankly, I'm disappointed erstwhile I perceive a batch of these things being said."

Banda, who made her elder planetary debut successful 2016, has made 63 appearances for her country

This includes featuring successful 3 games astatine past year’s Women’s World Cup aft Fifa deemed her eligible to play. 

This play Banda scored 13 goals successful 22 NWSL games helping Orlando triumph the divisions title.

Hayes added: “I talk truthful highly of her due to the fact that successful the women's game, we speech astir each apical players that travel from much accepted (football) nations.

"I deliberation it's large that we spot specified prime coming retired of Africa and for her to marque the interaction that she has. 

"I cognize my adjunct manager (Lisa Cole) coached her astatine Zambia, and talked astir what an astonishing idiosyncratic she is. She has our afloat support."