I’m starting the slow clap.
On July 25, Maria Rebello became the first female referee to officiate a senior-level professional men’s match in Indian soccer. Rebello, a former midfielder who once captained the Indian women’s national team, managed the proceedings between Delhi and Madhya Pradesh in the group stages of the Santosh Trophy competition, earning solid reviews for her performance. Rebello’s long journey to this destination deserves praise, not just as a personal milestone, but also as a special moment for Indian women eager to break into soccer.
Few countries around the world have permitted women to officiate men’s matches at the highest professional level. The United States, the pioneer of the professional women’s game, incorporated women officials into Major League Soccer early in the league’s history, although women were largely shifted over to the women’s professional league once the WUSA kicked off in 2000. Notably, Sandra Hunt, Nancy Ley and Kari Seitz each stepped up to take charge of MLS matches.
Other nations where women’s football has a much lower profile than the United States have also had women officiate top level men’s matches. In 2003, Switzerland’s Nicole Petignat became the first woman to referee a men’s UEFA Cup match when she took charge of a preliminary round match between Sweden’s AIK Fotboll and Iceland’s Fylkir. Petignat also officiated men’s top level soccer in the Swiss Super League and in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Also in 2003, Dagmar Damkova, a referee from the Czech Republic, became the first woman in her country to officiate a men’s match in the Czech first division. Several years later, Damkova again made history when she became the first woman to serve as the main referee in the Czech League Cup final. (Click here for an interesting interview with Damkova.)
Earlier this year in England, Amy Fearn took charge of a match between Coventry City and Nottingham Forest in the English Championship when the match referee had to leave the pitch before time with a calf strain. Although not England’s top flight, the Championship is still a big money, high profile league.
As one can imagine, Fearn’s journey leading up to that moment, like many of her predecessors in other countries, wasn’t an easy one. In 2006, Fearn ran the touchline in a match between Luton Town and Queens Park Rangers and faced a sexist-laced tirade from then Luton Town manager Mike Newell for what he perceived as a missed penalty call.
After the match, Newell fumed:
She should not be here. I know that sounds sexist, but I am sexist, so I am not going to be anything other than that. We have a problem in this country with political correctness, and bringing women into the game is not the way to improve refereeing and officialdom.
It is absolutely beyond belief. When do we reach a stage when all officials are women, then we are in trouble. It is bad enough with the incapable referees and linesmen we have, but if you start bringing in women, you have big problems. It is tokenism, for the politically correct idiots. (via The Guardian)
Newell was reprimanded — sorry, severely reprimanded — by Luton Town, fined £6,500 by the FA, and forced to apologize to Raynor for his remarks. One can only imagine if a manager came out with similar remarks towards a referee of color.
The only response to these types of discriminatory remarks is a ban. Remember, this happened decades ago. No, wait, it was 2006. Although we are moving in the right direction, incidents like the Newell incident remind us of how far we still need to go.
A referee’s ability to officiate a match should have nothing to do with gender, just as it should have nothing to do with race or religion. It’s still quite stunning that a woman can be Prime Minister of a country, in charge of the well-being of a nation, before she can referee a sporting event. Woman are accepted as leaders of families, often taking charge of raising the same men that some believe they are incapable of controlling on a soccer field. A referee’s ability alone should dictate whether he or she is fit to officiate a match, whether in the men’s or women’s game.
All of the aforementioned women’s achievements are worthy of praise. But Rebello’s achievement is particularly notable because of geography. The West typically prides itself on being the home of progressive attitudes towards women’s rights. But moments like this provide a little perspective. This week, Indian football took an affirmative step towards breaking a barrier that still stands in many countries that relentlessly boast about their progressive attitudes. Developed nations are often quick to condemn developing nations for certain behavior, and sometimes rightfully so. But there are also plenty of times where developing nations get things right, well in advance of often patronizing developed nations. We should tip our hats to the All India Football Federation for giving women the opportunity they deserve to officiate at the top level of the men’s game. Hopefully other federations follow suit sooner rather than later.
Congratulations to Maria Rebello for breaking barriers. Hopefully we see her soon on the international level officiating major matches and breaking more barriers.
