Trailblazer Rebecca Welch targeting Premier League referee role and Stphanie Frappart to make history as the first woman to referee - CNN Here Are Some Places to Start. Welch says it was only a couple of years ago that she was confident enough in her progress up the tiers of the FAs referee pathway to take a break from her job as an NHS administrator and concentrate full-time on the game. ", Rebecca Welch has refereed a Women's FA Cup Final, Welch in action in the Women's Super League, Pickford's homework keeps Everton's Great Escape dreams alive, Arsenal Women's Champions League final dreams end after extra-time heartbreak, Frank Lampard risking reputational damage in Chelsea's dire season, Frank Lampard: I don't blame Mauricio Pochettino for waiting on Chelsea job, Leeds in crisis as Javi Gracia faces the sack, Newcastle receive double boost in hunt for Champions League. External Link, Be wary of future Brighton rotation in FPL, FPL player price changes - rises, falls and top transfers for Gameweek 35, Gameweek 34 FPL stats: Haaland rewards as Triple Captain, Double Gameweek 34 FPL bonus points: Pickford hauls, Chelsea to play Borussia Dortmund in Chicago But the television cameras will be there, and viewers will see a woman take charge of an elite men's match in England. Looking back on her unlikely route into refereeing, Welch said the fixture is "amazing for me". She is not strictly the first woman to officiate in the EFL on Monday as Amy Fearn refereed a Championship match for 15 minutes in 2010 as an injury replacement, but never before has a woman received an official appointment. Her tenacity and drive have seen her become the first female referee to officiate at a mens professional match in the UK and the first woman to referee a mens professional cup final in England. It was only in September 2020 that a female officiated as an assistant referee for the first time in a Copa Libertadores game; this happened twice on the same day in two different games because the scheduled (male) referees tested positive for Covid and had to be replaced at the last minute. Hamilton Academical; Partick Thistle; Scottish League One . I've got no doubt, in the next 10 to 15 years, we will see a female referee in the Premier League," she said. Frappart becomes first female ref in men's WCQ, Massey-Ellis: Fine line between criticism and sexism. "I actually have two jobs. In addition, the two video match officials were also women, making the entire officiating crew 100% female. So it was a groundbreaking achievement when, in May 1981, Betty Ellis became the first female to officiate a professional soccer game in the U.S. She was a lineswoman at a North American Soccer League (NASL) match between the Portland Timbers and Calgary Boomers at Civic Stadium (now Providence Park). In addition, the two video match officials were also women, making the entire officiating crew 100% female. The Football Association stated that The number of female referees in English football has increased by 72% since 2016., began refereeing in the mens 2. VideoCounty Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. SportMob - Greatest Female Football Referees in the World Whether thats playing to officiating, start from the bottom at grass roots and work your way up to gain your skills. Jawahir Roble was just 10 when she took refuge in London with her family after fleeing civil war in Somalia. "I don't want positive discrimination," she said. Although there are a number of women registered as assistant referees in the EFL, and one Sian Massey-Ellis who works in the Premier League and at international club level, there has been concern over the slow rate of progress for female referees in England. "If it's not me, I've got no doubt, in the next 10 to 15 years, we will see a female referee in the Premier League," she said. ", Paige Williams (Leeds United Women midfielder). Ref 2 Mark Scholes 4th Official Graham Scott. [5][6][7], She is based in Coventry, West Midlands. My mum doesn't know a lot about football. I'm very fortunate to have been given this opportunity and I'm really excited about it. Ferrieri Caputi: All you need to know about Serie A's first female referee There are a few names you will hear frequently when discussing history-making women working the mens game in Europe. "A good game on Monday is, by 10 to five (o'clock), they're talking about the game and not about the ref," she laughs. Follow live updates as Arsenal travel to Wolfsburg in the first leg of their Women's Champions League semi-final. I've loved sports all my life - I grew up playing cricket and football for 20 years so getting a job in this industry is ideal for me and the best thing that could happen. The first female referee in the Premier League was Sian Massey-Ellis, who made her debut in 2010. "Twenty minutes into one game, somebody sat in the stand next to my dad didn't even realise the ref was a female. omen in professional sports as players, game officials, coaches and front office personnel w, virtually non-existent. Jonsson, who started refereeing in 1983, recalls that it was the first competitive international tournament in which women officiated. Frappart to become first female referee in UEFA Champions League [1] [2] The first season was played in March 2023 and saw Mumbai Indians win the first title. Who are the Premier League referees? 2022/23 officials, salaries and "We need more people involved, more fans and more broadcast events. "It's not something I thought that, when I decided to be a referee 11 years ago, I would be in the Football League doing a game. a German top-flight men's game in September 2017. now oversees the development of female officials for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in England. "Getting to officiate finals is one of the coolest perks about our jobs, having the opportunity to be involved with women's football and helping to grow the game. Of course, theres also plenty of coverage of other South American domestic leagues and international games. Here are the stories of those who participated on the day. That's always something we're striving towards on a daily occurrence.". But Welch taking her place in the elite men's game in England, along with referees in Europe like Stephanie Frappart and Kateryna Monzul - who both became the first women to referee men's World Cup qualifiers last weekend - help silence outdated views, and move the sport on. There's a place for everybody. Steinhaus-Webb believes the English game has several prospects with the potential to step up to a bigger stage. Papers: Big Sam or Bowyer to replace Gracia at Leeds? [26], On 3 December 2018, Massey-Ellis was appointed to be an assistant referee at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. [29][failed verification], Last edited on 12 February 2023, at 21:39, FIFA Women's World Cup qualification rounds, Member of the Order of the British Empire, "England Sian Massey Profile with news, career statistics and history Soccerway", "Education & Technical - Referees by Association", "Sian Massey-Ellis Stars As Female Assistant Referee in Wolves vs Liverpool Match", "National Group Assistant Profile Sian Massey-Ellis", "Female assistant referee Sian Massey 'epitomises quality' FA are looking for despite Richard Keys and Andy Gray", "Kevin McNaughton's barge on Sian Massey declared accidental", "Richard Keys resigns from Sky after sexist remarks", "Sky reporter Andy Burton dropped in wake of Sian Massey comments", "Andy Gray sacked by Sky for offensive behaviour", "Sian Massey withdrawn from refereeing Blue Square match", "Iranian TV station censors footage of female football referee's legs", "UEFA.com Women's EURO 2009 Slovenia-Ukraine", "Women's World Cup 2011 Norway-Ukraine", "Women's World Cup 2011 Czech Republic-Sweden", "Women's World Cup 2011 Belgium-Azerbaijan", "Women's EURO referees - the tournament's 17th team", "Admkov to referee Women's Champions League final", "FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 - News - Match officials appointed for FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 - FIFA.com", "Sian Massey-Ellis becomes first English female to officiate in a men's European tie", "Footballers who have backed out of a transfer for another late in the day", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sian_Massey-Ellis&oldid=1139005487, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 21:39. Our advice is to work hard and never give up.". Is it common? Mark Clattenburg: Former Premier League referee criticized for - CNN Umpierrez was born in Buenos Aires and started playing football at the age of 8. I do think its important to show that women who are in the top 1% of their category can proceed to the next level so it definitely makes others down the pyramid look up and know that they can achieve the same.. It helped the game become stable after years of stagnancy. It is owned and operated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Her first Premier League appointment was on 28 December 2010, as an assistant in Blackpool's 20 away win at Sunderland. Barcelona eliminated Chelsea FC on aggregate, 2-1, after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw during the . Ref 1 Scott Ledger Asst. She was the first woman to officiate a Bundesliga game in 2017. "Our favourite Lionesses are Ellen White and Jess Carter. Lucy Oliver is a pioneering female football referee who is helping to reshape the sport. Thankfully, theres decent coverage of European football as well, so I have been able to watch plenty of Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, and other European league matches along with the occasional MLS games, World Cup qualifiers, etc. The Football Association stated that The number of female referees in English football has increased by 72% since 2016.. She has praised the support and influence of Sian Massey-Ellis, an assistant referee in the Premier League. "Because of this, theres so many pathways for girls who want to follow in our footsteps. When we were in school, we had to join the boys' team just to play football. She eventually returned to Argentina and pursued her dream of becoming a professional referee. Saturday 29 April 2023. Nesbitt also assisted in the. English Football League appoints its first female referee [28], She is married to Robert Ellis, who is also a football referee. But I've gone through the men's pathway and I've never experienced anything like that (abuse) because I'm a female referee. "I've received criticism for my refereeing, and that's part of football. So it was a groundbreaking achievement when, i. became the first female to officiate a professional soccer game in the U.S. was a lineswoman at a North American Soccer League, match between the Portland Timbers and Calgary Boomers at Civic Stadium (now Providence, (Sweden) and five other female assistant referees were invited to China for the inaugural FIFA Womens World Cup. Referees must be physically fit and have the necessary knowledge and experience to officiate at the highest level. She has also been appointed to matches in the Football League Trophy, UEFA Women's Champions League,[4] FIFA Women's World Cup qualification rounds, the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA Europa League. During a game between Cardiff City and Middlesbrough in May 2011, Massey was knocked over by Cardiff player Kevin McNaughton, although the incident was said, officially by the FA, to be an accident. Janie Frampton was one of the first female referees in the men's professional game in England and went on to instruct referees for Fifa for a decade. But in blowing the whistle to mark kick-off between League Two's Harrogate Town and Port Vale, she will be setting a new and important precedent in English football, becoming the first woman appointed as a referee in the EFL. There has really been a huge change already. formId: "1e092068-e6c8-4d90-9b3f-cc61c5958770" ", Owen: Relegation battle is going down to the wire, Leicester and Everton forced to share a point The channel allegedly had previously cancelled showing a 2019 match between Augsburg and Bayern Munich because a female referee would be officiating, and edited a broadcast of the 2018 FIFA World Cup draw announcement due to co-host Maria Komandnaya. Sian Massey-Ellis is a trailblazing female football referee who has broken down barriers in what is traditionally seen as a male-dominated industry. These cookies do not store any personal information. It is really beautiful. As the team captains greeted each other and the referees for the coin toss, I noticed something out of the ordinary: All of the referees were women! In 2010, Amy Fearn was the first woman to take charge of a Football League match when the original referee was injured during the game and she took over for the last 20 minutes of play. Authors note: After publication of this article, I was contacted by Dr. Lale Orta of Turkey, who states that she was the first female referee in a top European division (a Sper Lig match on May 29, 1999, thus beating Petignat in Switzerland by one day) as well as the first female assistant referree (in 1990). Welch acknowledges her role as a "trailblazer" in the game and believes there will be a female referee in the Premier League. Welch is the highest-ranking female referee in English football, has refereed in the National League for the past three seasons and has taken charge of the Women's FA Cup final at Wembley among other fixtures. Sian Massey-Ellis, currently the highest ranked female official in the UK, started running the line in the Football League in 2009 and has been an assistant referee for Premier League games since 2010. Women have been actively participating, albeit mostly from the sidelines, in mens football for almost a century. Massey-Ellis turned professional in March 2010, joining the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB), who provide the officials for men's Premier League matches, the highest level of professional football in England. 29 April 2023 Counties 16. Sign up for our free newsletter "The Groundhopper", It was only in September 2020 that a female officiated as an assistant referee for the first time in a Copa Libertadores game; this happened twice on the same day in two different games because the scheduled (male) referees tested positive for Covid and had to be replaced at the last minute. The age limit for FIFA referees is 45 years old. [12], In August 2011, Massey-Ellis was appointed to the Select Group of match officials. Who is Kateryna Monzul? History-making female referee set to - Goal Frappart will continue to make history in the coming weeks as she has been selected to work as a support match official at the Euros. There is no stopping us now and I cant wait to see what many more great accomplishments are ahead for women referees and women referee coaches, instructors, observers and administrators., Many of the worlds top soccer organizations have implemented changes to better support women in football, so I expect to see more women officiating at the top levels of the mens game. Today, there are five full-time women referees in the NBA -- the most in the . All rights reserved. Rebecca Welch becomes first female referee to be appointed to EFL game After deciding that she wanted to become a referee, Welch didn't think she would ever make it to the EFL. "People are starting to know who the England women are. "Regardless of where I am, I will always end up at a sporting event with a camera. The game I watched last week is the first time that a female has been in charge of a Copa Libertadores game. The Premier League is still waiting for a similar milestone, so when might a woman take charge of a top-flight men's game in England? On Monday, however, Rebecca Welch makes history as the first woman to officiate a men's English Football League match, while readily admitting: "I never really understood why anyone would want to take that route". "My only concern was were they were going to take the girls and then only use them the fourth official? Today, these games are at an amateur level, but it is run on more professional grounds, which is good to see. Matches were played in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, with five franchises taking part. Barcelona are through to the final of the Women's Champions League! Ten years ago, a sexism row erupted over Sian Massey-Ellis officiating as an assistant referee in the Premier League, the dinosaur view that women cannot grasp the offside rule seeping into punditry. How to get into football - the most popular sport in the world, with clubs and facilities throughout the UK. "I've always said, through all my promotions, I want to be appointed because I am in the top 10 match officials on that list. I've got to keep on performing, achieving those marks, to get those rewards. The 27-year-old has been a professional referee since 2014 and has officiated over 100 matches in the Swiss professional leagues. She said: "Sian's an absolute icon in refereeing and has paved the way for females, not just in England but all over Europe, to think about taking up the whistle. ", April Hill, Macey Nikiah-Walters & Esme Parsons (Portsmouth Women Development players). "Promoting women's football will help continue its growth, especially with how it's growing after the Euros. Leaving her home country, and all her friends, without a chance to say goodbye was understandably tough . As CONMEBOL said about the historic appointment of an all-female officiating crew for the Copa Libertadores match, It is further proof of the organizations commitment to the development and professionalization of more women on and off the field, promoting gender equality and providing more decision-making spaces., As Football Makes History states, It is a step towards equality, but there is still a long way to go before female referees no longer make history in mens football. When Rebecca Welch blows her whistle at Harrogate Towns home fixture with Port Vale next Monday, a significant milestone in English football will finally have been reached. I've got a big support network, and nobody understands you better than another referee. Rebecca Welch, who became a referee in 2010, recently made history as the first female appointed to take charge of an EFL match in April 2021. Football has already seen three female assistant referees in the Football League - Fearn, Wendy Toms and Sian Massey-Ellis - and Welch admitted it felt strange to be thrust in the spotlight. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Welch, who was recently promoted to UEFA's elite category of officials, has refereed in the National League for the past three seasons and has taken charge of the Women's FA Cup final at Wembley. To be clear, there is work still to be done to eradicate sexism in football. It the end it was the strike from Graham Hansen in the first leg that is the . World leaders want treaty to work together against pandemics. BRE 2 - 1 NFO. The referees officiate matches that range from local football to Premier League matches. Video, 00:02:10, 'Anyone can referee' says UK's first Muslim female ref, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. She added: "Without any struggles, no one is going to get anywhere, it . Yamashita last September became the first woman to officiate a first division J-League game, and was one of three women named on the list of 36 referees for the men's World Cup. We know each other very well and we knew what we were capable of, so it was just going into the game with that mindset and not letting anything else drag us down.". She's excited, but I don't think she knows why! Jawahir Roble is the first female Muslim referee, she plans to continue to smash stereotypes by officiating in the Premier League. The 37-year-old from County Durham has become the first woman selected to referee a mens match in the English Football League. Bundesliga in 2007 and established her name as the first female referee in German mens professional football. Her career has been marked by great success and she has been praised for her confidence and authority when officiating games. Wendy Toms made history when, in 1991, she worked as the fourth referee in the old Third Division. There are currently eleven different levels of referees that correspond to the ability, age and activity of the official. She later became the first female to officiate as an assistant referee in the Football League (1994) and then the Premier League (1996). I never want to be appointed based on anything else. They need to earn the positions, pass the fitness tests and be technically capable. Referee Peter Bankes Asst. One of them is Stephanie Frappart. Premier League 'behind' Europe and could be decade away from female referee To become a FIFA referee, applicants must . We are huge fans. External Link, Isak and Wilson can be worth the double-up in FPL, Benitez: Man City have the focus to win title, Haaland equals record for most Premier League goals in a season, Haaland hits 50th goal of the season Qatar World Cup to feature three female referees with Premier League's (modern). Last updated on 1 December 20221 December 2022.From the section Football. I've got faith in the system, and I've been rewarded.". hbspt.forms.create({ We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In spite of ample evidence documenting Edith Klingers achievements, FIFA recognized Drahan Arda of Turkey as the worlds first female football referee in 2018, perhaps because she was still alive to pursue the designation. Cream Magazine by Themebeez. But it's really important to have a support network not connected to football too.". Your email address will not be published. Senior figures in the game are privately tipping her to become the Premier League's first woman referee. She was the first woman to referee a mens professional football match in Europe and is currently the only female referee in the top division of any European country. Here is a look at the top 10 female football referees from around the world. Rebecca Welch has made history by becoming the first woman appointed to referee a game in the English Football League. She has spent 11 years working her way up the ranks to mark this new professional milestone - and because she is making history, this is also a new step for women to tick off. Nathan McAndrew's return of 5-53 is so far his best figures in England. To be given this opportunity to work in the EFL is amazing for me.. How Long Is A College Basketball Game In 2023. Elena Tambini is a revolutionary in the world of football, becoming the first-ever female referee in the history of the Italian Football Federation. . Required fields are marked *. When I'm not at football matches, I also do media at a lawn-mowing company. Massey-Ellis was wearing shorts, and women are required to cover their legs and hair in public by Iranian law. In the third-place playoff game on November 29, 1991, Guedes, and her assistants, Chinas Zuo Xiudi and New Zealands Linda Black, also became the first all-female team to officiate in a FIFA tournament. This is the highest I have refereed at, at the moment, and I'm more than happy so far. Zooming in on the . "Internationally, in the women's game, we're working really hard towards major competitions - the European Championships next year and World Cup in 2023. , who claims to be the worlds leading expert on the evolution of the Laws of the Game and the history of women referees in mens football has thoroughly researched the subject and created a comprehensive. Rebecca Welch pictured during the 2020 Womens FA Cup final. As I live in Ecuador, that usually means Im tuning in to a LigaPro Serie A match (thats the top domestic level in which my team, Barcelona, won the title last season). Other women referees Serie A is not the first league to appoint a female official to referee a match. We can't wait for it to develop. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. "It's not something I thought that, when I decided to be a referee 11 years ago, I would be in the Football League doing a game.