Johansson seeks to justify sweaty women remarks

UEFA president Lennart Johansson said he had been misinterpreted in controversial comments he made on how to market women's soccer.

Swedish women players and newspapers in Europe slammed 76-year-old Swede as sexist following remarks he made to the BBC before today's European women's championship final in Manchester.

"If you see a girl playing on the ground, sweaty, with the rainy weather and coming out of the dressing-room, lovely looking, that would sell," Johansson had told the BBC.

In an interview with Expressen Johansson tried to clarify his view.

"Women's soccer wasn't happy with its financial situation. For continuous success they need crowds and to get sponsors," Johansson said.

"What I mean is that when a football match is over and the women come out there's the possibility of taking advantage of sponsors commercially."

¤ World champions Germany enter their fourth successive European final today favourites to win as many consecutive titles and hoping a resurgent Norway have run out of steam. Germany, five-time winners since the competition began in 1984, have outclassed most they have met at the UEFA Women's European Championship and overcame Norway 1-0 at the group stage. The Germans have won all their matches, averaging three goals a game and conceding only one, in their 4-1 semi-final drubbing of Finland.