'I deeply hurt people by moving to Saudi Arabia'

When nan connection came successful from Saudi Arabia, Ashleigh Plumptre's first small heart was to opportunity no.

In 2023 nan defender's statement was coming to an extremity astatine puerility nine Leicester City and she was looking for a caller project, thing to animate her and wherever she would consciousness weighted arsenic a personification arsenic good arsenic a footballer.

And aft negotiations and a sojourn to nan Middle East, nan Nigeria world decided to return nan plunge and become nan first player to move from nan Women's Super League (WSL) to nan Saudi Women's Premier League (SWPL).

Two years later she has signed a statement hold astatine Jeddah-based Al-Ittihad and wants to situation preconceived notions from nan occidental world astir Saudi Arabia and what life is for illustration for a female athlete.

But she admits regrets astatine losing nan spot of immoderate LGBT fans successful women's shot and acknowledges that Saudi women's shot has a agelong measurement to spell connected and disconnected nan pitch.

Now 27, Plumptre is simply a cerebral young female arsenic good arsenic a talented footballer. She has taken respective different moves successful her career, astir notably switching world allegiance from England – wherever she was calved and who she represented astatine younker level – to Nigeria, nan federation of her paternal grandfather.

So erstwhile her begetter Tim, who is besides her agent, told her of an attack by Al-Ittihad, she decided to springiness them a chance contempt first misgivings.

"I said to immoderate teams successful nan UK, US and Europe, past Dad said location was a squad successful Saudi Arabia who are willing successful you," she told BBC Sport.

"I was shocked. My first guidance was 'no', but I wanted to springiness them a chance."

Plumptre was 1 of nan first world stars to move to nan SWPL, which was launched successful 2022 arsenic a afloat master competition.

There are 24 teams successful nan convention pyramid, divided into 3 leagues of eight, and clubs are allowed to motion up to six overseas players.

The men's competition, nan Saudi Pro League, has gained a estimation for splashing nan rate to bring successful awesome world names for illustration Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema.

Plumptre's representatives declined to remark connected her net and statement astatine Al-Ittihad, and nan subordinate herself said nan task was nan main draw, alternatively than money.

According to nan New York Times successful 2023, nan convention is funded by nan state's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and carries higher prize money than nan WSL while overseas players' salaries scope from $60,000-$120,000 (£44,000-£89,000) per twelvemonth tax-free. In a 2022 survey, nan BBC recovered nan mean WSL net was £47,000, though immoderate apical players tin gain acold successful excess of this figure.

"I had an hour-long telephone pinch nan coach and 2 group successful nan guidance staff, and I said to Dad, 'I person a really bully emotion astir this'," said Plumptre.

"We hardly moreover said astir football, but astir ourselves and what we were passionate about.

"I'm personification who goes disconnected emotion and intuition. But I wanted to spell retired and sojourn - I wanted to spot what it was really like. I visited for 2 days and really liked it, and erstwhile I near location I thought 'this is wherever I want to be'."

Plumptre's move was arguable for some. Not only was she an world subordinate successful her premier moving to a convention mostly chartless to European audiences, but it besides caused upset for immoderate successful a athletics wherever LGBT group person typicaly been overmuch much invited than successful nan antheral equivalent.

Yet same-sex relations are forbidden successful Saudi Arabia.

The nation's beingness successful women's shot remains a arguable topic. Last twelvemonth much than 100 master female footballers signed a missive calling connected Fifa to extremity its sponsorship woody pinch Saudi­ Arabian lipid institution Aramco, accusing nan nationalist authorities of "brutal quality authorities violations".

Plumptre said she and her team-mates astatine Leicester were adjacent pinch nan club's LGBT supporters' group, and that she received antagonistic comments pursuing her determination to subordinate Al-Ittihad. Asked astir this reaction, it is clear she still feels their impact.

"Especially erstwhile I moved retired here, nan guidance was not bully astatine all," she said. "That was difficult.

"When I made this move location were group astir Leicester - I retrieve immoderate comments I received - it was for illustration I was not nan personification they thought I was.

"I had profoundly wounded them because they consciousness for illustration I americium representing thing which makes them not consciousness valued, and I understand that. I don't really cognize what to say.

"It does not mean I condone definite things, moreover if nan move intends I americium associated pinch definite things."

Like galore expats successful Saudi Arabia, Plumptre lives successful a gated organization known arsenic a compound.

These residential compounds connection a manner much for illustration Western suburban areas and person gyms, pools, restaurants and different amenities successful a self-contained area. Some moreover person unofficial bars which service alcohol, which is banned successful Saudi Arabia.

Plumptre says she feels happier and safer arsenic a female surviving successful Jeddah than she did successful nan UK.

"I cognize world players, members of my family and friends who person travel retired present who genuinely consciousness safer present and calmer than successful nan UK," she said.

"A friend of excavation who was retired here, we described it arsenic being for illustration a bid bubble.

"I'll springiness an example. I had been to nan supermarket and I had each these bags. I unrecorded successful a compound. I had to return each these bags into nan elevator, truthful I near my car retired pinch nan doorway open, motor connected and keys successful nan car truthful I could return up my shopping.

"In nan UK I would ne'er time off my car retired pinch nan keys in. Here I person nary problem.

"Naturally everyone is simply a spot fearful stepping astir astatine night, but I don't person to cheque my enarthrosis each nan time. I cognize this is conscionable nan position of myself, not of everybody who lives here, but pinch nan information I consciousness I can't work together pinch immoderate of nan views nan Western world person of this place."

As Plumptre says, this is conscionable 1 position connected life for a female successful Saudi Arabia.

Some of nan astir notably unequal practices successful nan state are nary longer successful place. Women person been allowed to thrust since 2018. A twelvemonth later those complete 21 could use for a passport.

But nan conception of guardianship, aliases 'wilaya', is cardinal to Saudi culture. Traditionally each female has a 'wali', a antheral guardian who makes decisions connected her behalf.

There has been immoderate betterment - women complete 21 nary longer request support to entree healthcare aliases acquisition - but reports from organisations specified arsenic Amnesty International opportunity this is not ever practically implemented and women are still heavy restricted successful what they tin do, deterioration and say.

Asked astir really she has been treated since her move, Plumptre says: "I don't consciousness threatened astatine each here.

"Men are encouraged to dainty women a definite way, and location are consequences if they do not.

"Every female tin opportunity location is simply a level of fearfulness wrong them if they were to beryllium retired stepping astatine nighttime whether successful nan Saudi aliases successful nan UK, but location are levels of fear, and location are little levels successful Saudi based connected nan measurement men behave."

While nan SWPL is not arsenic star-studded arsenic nan men's Pro League, location are respective awesome names who characteristic alongside Plumptre.

Two-time Women's Champions League victor Asisat Oshoala joined Al-Hilal this year, while France internationals Kheira Hamraoui and Amel Majri play successful nan SWPL.

And they get prima treatment, including flights to games to debar agelong recreation times astir specified a large country.

But location are respective evident issues successful nan SWPL. One is nan disparity successful accomplishment betwixt nan internationals and homegrown players. Another is nan deficiency of fans astatine galore of nan games.

Plumptre admits location is plentifulness of catching up to do.

"It's not thing I will ever hide distant from - nan modular is not what I'm utilized to successful nan WSL aliases astatine world level, and I worried really that would effect myself and my development," she said.

"One of my nine and world team-mates, Francisca Ordega, said successful Saudi we must do more. The gait is not arsenic fast, truthful you must deliberation successful different ways, and push yourselves beyond boundaries that you didn't before. There is much work connected you."

Facilities, Plumptre says, are bully for players. Al-Ittihad is not conscionable a shot club, but besides has teams successful swimming, volleyball and basketball, and Plumptre says they person adapted to nan presence of women's shot since 2023, though nan state-of-the-art accommodation do spell to nan men.

Unlike successful nan WSL, nan squad train successful nan evening erstwhile temperatures are cooler - thing Plumptre prefers arsenic it reminds her of training aft schoolhouse while astatine Leicester academy, arsenic good arsenic leaving her days free.

"When I first came here, we were utilizing nan aforesaid gym nan volleyball and hoops teams use," she said.

"Now we are successful nan aged men's gym. The men's squad person a caller facility. We person a aesculapian clinic, entree to crystal baths, our ain locker room. We train connected nan main field, abstracted to nan men. When I sewage present nan section was not awesome astatine all, truthful we pushed connected that and group listened."

The biggest problem is attendances. Other than Al-Ula, each SWPL squad play successful a stadium pinch a capacity little than 15,000, and crowds are sparse.

"We don't person galore fans," Plumptre says.

She puts this down to an absence of organization initiatives successful Saudi Arabia to get children attending games pinch their families and giving retired free tickets successful schools. This has played a immense portion successful nan WSL increasing attendances and fanbases among children and families, and Plumptre says this is being worked connected by Saudi clubs.

Matches are disposable to watch connected TV successful nan Middle East connected nan Saudi Sports Company web and nan Shahid streaming platform. Saudi-backed DAZN has nan broadcast authorities successful Europe.

As for Saudi Arabian women's shot connected a world stage, location is plentifulness of activity to beryllium done. Hosting nan men's World Cup successful 2034 and Aramco's business pinch Fifa has led to speculation astir a bid for nan Women's World Cup soon.

Plumptre, however, feels nan intends request to beryllium much realistic.

"In nan adjacent early I would opportunity 'no' [to Saudi hosting a Women's World Cup], because everything takes time," she said.

"I really attraction astir helping these Saudi players create and I don't want things to hap excessively soon. I judge successful nan process, taking measurable and decisive steps - make it long-lasting.

"It is not astir trying to unreserved something. If you put nan Saudi squad connected a shape they are not fresh for, it is unfair for them and women's football."