For the first time in history, FIFA has appointed three women’s referees and three women’s assistant referees to officiate at the upcoming men’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The three referees include Stephanie Frappart, who has already worked in the men’s game having officiated matches in the World Cup qualifiers and the Champions League, Salima Mukansanga, who has experience refereeing the biggest tournaments in Africa, including the Africa Cup of Nations, and the CAF Women’s Champions League, and Yoshimi Yamashita, who has officiated at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the Summer Olympics.
FIFA referees’ committee chairman Perluigi Collina said the decision concludes a long process that began several years ago with the deployment of female referees at FIFA men’s junior and senior tournaments. In this way, the world football governing body has clearly emphasized that it is quality that counts and not gender.
FIFA said in the future, the selection of elite women’s match officials for important men’s competitions will be perceived as something normal and no longer as sensational.Collina said women deserve to be at the FIFA World Cup because they constantly perform at a really high level, and that’s the important factor.
He maintained that the criteria considered was quality first and the selected match officials represent the highest level of refereeing worldwide.
The 36 referees, 69 assistant referees, and 24 video match officials will have to maintain the standards that they have shown as they will be monitored in the coming months to ensure that they keep their place in Qatar.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
