By Agency Report

Tanzania’s president Samia Suluhu Hassan has been heavily criticized for describing women’s footballers in the country as having ‘flat chest’ and they would not be able to get married as they are unattractive.

Hassan made the derogatory remarks on Sunday during a ceremony to celebrate the victory of the U-23 men’s football side in a regional football event at State House in coastal city of Dar es Salaam.

“For those who have flat chests, you might think they are men and not women,” she said at Sunday’s event.

“And if you look at their faces you might wonder … because if you want to marry, you want someone who is attractive, a lady who has the qualities that you want.”

She added that for the women footballers “those qualities have disappeared”.

“Today they are making us proud as a nation when they bring trophies to the country but if you look at their lives in the future, when the legs are tired from playing, when they don’t have the health to play, what life will they be living?” she said.

“The life of marriage is like a dream to them. Because even if one of you here takes them home as your wife, your mother will ask if they are a woman or a fellow man.”

However, followers if sports and football in particular in the country have described the comment as “most insensitive” and uncomplimentary.