Almost 1000 sign petition calling for Hotel Football to stop backing ‘lingerie …

A petition has launched calling on Hotel Football to withdraw support of Lingerie Football as players took to the pitch for their first match in suspenders.

The Lingerie Football League UK has recently launched in Manchester, with the team swapping traditional kits for skimpy outfits.

Team members played their first match on Wednesday, December 23, on the rooftop pitch at Hotel Football.

Some of the players took to the pitch in suspenders for the game against Salford University, while there was also a lingerie catwalk show at half time.

Gemma Hughes, founder, said she was inspired to set up the league to raise awareness of the gender pay gap and create more sponsorship opportunities for the players.

But the plans have outraged football coaches, with a petition launched calling on Hotel Football to withdraw support of the league.

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Tony Farmer, who started Chelsea Ladies more than a decade ago, said Manchester United legends Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, who own the hotel, are on the verge of setting women’s football back and launched the petition.

He wrote: “This will expose women footballers who have worked so hard to have the right to play football away from all the sexism and prejudices endured by their predecessors.

“Lingerie Football is all about making the game sexual titillation for spectators and could expose players, especially young girls starting off in football, to people who view them as a sexual object rather than sportswomen.

“I ask the Manchester United legends from that Class of 1992, who have enjoyed such great lives from playing football, to understand the implications of what they are doing.

“And also show some respect to female footballers who love the game and want to play it without the sexual intimidation that promoting this league will do.”

The petition has gained more than 920 signatures, with campaign group Women In Football and other coaches sending their support.

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Gemma Hughes, founder, told the M.E.N in an earlier statement: “What we are doing is bringing women’s football into the limelight.

“If you look at for example tennis, the women and men receive the same amount of pay. The reason being the women look like women and are not trying to represent the man’s game.”

Hotel Football declined to comment.

WATCH: The Lingerie Football League players in action

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Lingerie model Sarah Stage takes her eight-month-old son to the gym

Lingerie model Sarah Stage has shared a photo of herself at the gym with her eight-month-old son less than a week after she defended herself against critics who accused her of leaving her child on the floor at a shopping mall while she took selfies in the fitting room.

The 30-year-old from Los Angeles snapped a photo of herself holding her son James inside the women’s locker room of her gym and shared it with her two million Instagram followers on Sunday. 

‘My Gym partner,’ she captioned the image, using the hashtags #NoNanny #mommyLife #NoExcuses #MateFit. 

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Mommy and me: Los Angeles-based model Sarah Stage, 30, took to Instagram on Sunday to share this photo of herself holding her eight-month-old son James in the women’s locker room at her gym

Starting early: Sarah, who also posted this adorable photo of James living a small weight, noted that she won’t skip the gym even though she doesn’t have a nanny 

In the photo, Sarah is wearing a black Adidas sports bra and black and gray leggings, while her son looks equally sporty in an Adidas sweatsuit and a backwards baseball cap. 

More than 34,000 people have liked the photo, and many noted that Sarah is a fitness inspiration. However, others wondered how she could workout while watching an infant. 

‘I’m confused why is the baby at the gym lol how are you gonna work out [sic],’ someone asked, while another Instagram user noted that some gyms offer babysitting services.

Over the weekend Sarah shared an adorable image of James holding a small weight, dubbing the snap ‘fitspiration’. And on Christmas she posted a picture family photo of her and her husband cuddling James by their Christmas tree as the entire family donned matching pajamas. 

‘Jamesy’s First Christmas,’ she captioned the picture. 

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Sparking controversy: Last week, Sarah appeared to have placed her baby straight onto the carpet at the mall in Sherman Oaks before taking pictures in the mirror of the fitting room in this image shared on Snapchat

Tired tot: After critics accused Sarah of being a bad mother, she shared another image on Snapchat which showed James asleep on top of a clean blanket

However, just days before their happy holiday, Sarah, who became famous for flaunting her barely-there baby bump eight months into her pregnancy, was criticized for placing her eight-month-old infant straight onto the carpet at a mall in Sherman Oaks before taking pictures of herself in the mirror while she tried on outfits. 

After she was accused of being a bad mother, the model shared another image on Snapchat which showed her son James asleep on top of a clean blanket.

‘I don’t want to wake him,’ she captioned the image. 

She sent the new image to TMZ and also told the site that he was in the fitting room with her at the Californian mall for about an hour. 

Although the picture shows the baby was comfortable, many on social media still felt it was unacceptable. 

Heated debate: People weighed in on Facebook with some disagreeing with her choice and claiming they would never put their child on the floor, while one man argued that babies crawl around on ground all of the time 

Jennifer Redpath wrote on Facebook: ‘Putting your baby on the floor so you can take selfies. Poor parenting.’

While Jeff Edelson wrote: ‘Does the five-second rule apply to babies?’ referring to the phrase used when you drop food onto the floor and pick it back up.

Meanwhile another user Kaity Hunter also felt it was over the line. 

She wrote: ‘Clean blanket or not, I wouldn’t set my child on the floor in a dressing room.

‘If there is ever a moment where the only place to put your child is on a public floor, leave.’

However others did not have a problem with Sarah taking a minute for herself while her baby was safe on the floor asleep. 

Happy holiday: Sarah and her husband can be seen holding James on his first Christmas 

Fitness inspiration: Earlier this year, Sarah shared this photo of herself with with fellow gym goers who also bring their babies to their workouts 

Amanda Chalifoux posted: ‘Not a big deal. She is a mom multitasking, at least she wants to spend time with her son and bring him shopping, which is a hard task with a baby.

‘He’s sleeping and clearly lying on a blanket.’  

Robbie Martinez also thought it was an overreaction and posted: ‘The baby is on a blanket, not just on the floor.’

He also argued the fitting rooms would be too small to fit a pushchair in so it made sense.

He continued: ‘Babies crawl and scoot around at home all the time.’

While Krystal Hardiman argued it was down to the mother how she chose to parent her son.

She wrote: ‘People have no business telling a mom what to do with her kids. She shouldn’t justify herself to anyone.’ 

Social media star: Sarah became famous for flaunting her barely-there baby bump in lingerie when she was nine months pregnant (pictured) 

Momma knows best: Although she received criticism that maintaining such a small figure while pregnant could harm the baby, her son James Hunter was born healthy, weighing 8lbs 7 on April 14

Sarah, who is of European and Costa Rican descent, first came into the spotlight in March this year when she posted images of her toned stomach on Instagram despite being eight months pregnant.

And despite her critics, Sarah refused to hide her pregnant body in maternity clothes.

The model, who has millions of followers dressed her bump in fitted Lycra or nothing at all.

The fitness fanatic said she loved hitting the gym and captured herself working out, as well as following a healthy diet of quinoa, spinach and chicken.

Two weeks before giving birth she shared a sexy snapshot of herself in black underwear and responded to her haters.

Fitness fanatic: Sarah didn’t waste any time getting back to the gym after giving birth 

Back to work: Only a month after giving birth, Sarah was pictured modelling bikinis with no sign of a post-baby stomach and looked happy and healthy in this bejewelled number following her pregnancy

‘BTW If you don’t like my pics then unfollow me,’ she wrote. ‘I’m excited, happy and enjoying every second of my pregnancy. Can’t wait to meet James! #NFG #37weeks [sic].’ 

Sarah also continued to model while carrying her baby.

Her first gig was at the tender age of two and the star, who is signed to Elite Model Management, has since adorned billboards and starred in countless campaigns.

Although some critics argued that maintaining such a small figure while pregnant could harm the baby, her son James Hunter was born healthy – weighing 8lbs 7oz on April 14.

And while a large number of comments made about Sarah’s figure were critical, many women noted that they found Sarah’s pregnancy body to be motivation to work out and live a healthy lifestyle.

Sarah still shares many candid photographs with her son who has also been a hit with her followers.

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