Matildas condemn surface heat of FIFA 2015 Women's World Cup turf

Matildas players are complaining of heat trauma to the soles of their feet due to the artificial turf pitches overheating to more than 50C at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Matildas striker Michelle Heyman has been a vocal critic of the artificial turf, saying her she suffered from severely burnt feet and fearing even greater heat when with Australia faces Japan in the competition’ quarter-final in Edmonton on Sunday morning (EST) in temperatures of around 31C.

With FIFA’s heat policy demanding drink breaks when temperature reaches more than 32C, Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium synthetic pitch is likely to be the subject of intense scrutiny.

Preparing for the potential extreme heat, Heyman told media “you can’t really get a grip so you’re feet are sliding around in your boots because they’re that hot and kind of sweaty"You wouldn’t want to see the bottom of our feet after a game.

"They just turn white … the skin is all ripped off. It’s pretty disgusting.

"It’s like walking on hot coals with your skin ripping and slowly cracking, constantly.”

The Matildas have been using blister soothing bandages to help alleviate the pain during and after matches.

All of Canada’s World Cup matches are being played on synthetic pitches.

Leading women footballers last year threatened to sue FIFA when it announced Canada’s entire World Cup would be played on synthetic pitches.

Heyman said she preferred to play on grass but synthetic pitches did have its positives.

She added “you know it’s always going to be a perfect ball, the ball won’t bobble up and hit a little grass patch and go the other way.”

The Matildas prepared for the tournament by training on artificial turf at the Australian Institute of Sport in January.

Heyman added “it was quite warm in January when we were doing our prep for this back in Canberra. It was around this temperature (31C) as well.

Advocates of artificial turf in Australia seldom address the issue of high surface temperatures when backing installations.

Image shows Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton.

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