Rebecca Welch is highest-ranking female referee in English football; Referee chiefs Mike Riley and Mike Jones approved her appointment for Monday's League Two fixture between Harrogate Town and Port Vale; Welch cites influence of Premier League assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis, Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. I'm very fortunate to have been given this opportunity and I'm really excited about it. She began her refereeing career in the late 1980s and in 1991 she became the fourth referee. Melksham was born in Australia and began her career as a referee in the state of Victoria in 2001. 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 Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. "I'm aware that not everybody is as fortunate as me and I'm aware it does happy. To have her around a dressing room, as one of my friends, is really important. Read about our approach to external linking. English referee Sian Massey-Ellis believes it is only a matter of time before there is a female referee in the Premier League. Stephanie Frappart made history on Wednesday by becoming the first female referee to take charge of a men's Champions League game, while female referees have been employed in the Bundesliga and . And the first female lead referee for an international match organized by UEFA was Nicole Petignat (Switzerland) in 2003. recently made history as the first female appointed to take charge of an, , as of June 2020, there were 2,146 women refereeing across all levels of English football. In addition, the two video match officials were also women, making the entire officiating crew 100% female. Cludia Vasconcelos Guedes (center) with lineswomen Linda Black (left) and Zuo Xiudi (right) prior to the 3rd place playoff between Sweden and Germany, in Guangzhou, China in 1991. Everyone screamed and it was one of the best days of our lives! "Now we have Rebecca Welch, Natalie Aspinall, Sian Massey-Ellis, Lisa Rashid breaking through these glass ceilings and really pushing the boundaries forward," she added. When I'm not at football matches, I also do media at a lawn-mowing company. Read about our approach to external linking. Rebecca Welch has become the first female referee to be appointed to a game in the English Football League, it has been announced. The age limit for FIFA referees is 45 years old. [26], On 3 December 2018, Massey-Ellis was appointed to be an assistant referee at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. The Football Association points to an explosion in the number of women referees since the formation of the Womens Super League, with numbers up 76% between 2016 and 2020 and 2,146 officiating last year at all levels of the game. With Welch taking charge of Harrogate v Port Vale on Easter Monday, Molly McElwee writes on why this appointment matters for the game. Thus, the Copa Libertadores game I watched last week was the first time in history that there were, Because I like to use raw data to make comparisons, I downloaded the, my incognito searches for female soccer referees in English and Spanish returned more than half of the first page results with titles that include the words most beautiful/sexy/hottest., 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., Brighton & Hove Albion Tickets & Hospitality, Queens Park Rangers Tickets & Hospitality, England National Team Tickets & Hospitality, Scottish Premiership Tickets & Hospitality, UEFA Champions League Tickets & Hospitality, UEFA Europa Conference League Tickets & Hospitality, Paris Saint-Germain Tickets & Hospitality, 2021 FIFA List of International Match Officials, Netflix Series "Losers" Reveals an Amazing Story From English Soccer History, Interested in Soccer History? ", Bridie Hannon and Kathryn Smith (Leeds United Women players). (Photo at top: Stphanie Frappart and her assistants Manuela Nicolosi and Michelle ONeill before the UEFA Super Cup game in 2019. "Back in my time, all you could do was come down to your local pitch and play with your mates on a Saturday, go to the pub and that was it. How Long Is A College Basketball Game In 2023. She. Since then, Welch, from Washington in Tyne and Wear, has gone beyond the challenge. 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.". Referees are then given an extra 1,150 for matches they are put in charge of, which means that a Premier League referee can earn up to 70,000 per year. "They are recognised for their excellent performances on the field of play. With past accomplishments including refereeing the womens FA Cup final on two occasions, Welch said her selection was the biggest achievement of her 10-year career as a match official. 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 Video, 00:02:10, 'Anyone can referee' says UK's first Muslim female ref, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. Rebecca Welch made history on Monday as she became the first appointed female referee to take charge of an English Football League (EFL) game. Becoming the first female to referee in the Premier League is now one of Welch's next targets, but she is keen to inspire more women to pick up the whistle along the way. She's excited, but I don't think she knows why! But it's really important to have a support network not connected to football too.". I've got no doubt, in the next 10 to 15 years, we will see a female referee in the Premier League," she said. When Rebecca Welch stands at the centre of the pitch at Wetherby Road on Monday, she will be doing the job she does week in and out as a referee. The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. Referees must be physically fit and have the necessary knowledge and experience to officiate at the highest level. [5][6][7], She is based in Coventry, West Midlands. Asked how long it would be before a woman took charge of a Premier League game, she said "maybe five years". It marked the first time that an all-female team officiated a continental mens match in Asia. Seven-year-old girl builds her own rocket! 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. Massey-Ellis was withdrawn by the PGMOB from her next appointment, a League 2 game between Crewe Alexandra and Bradford City on 25 January, as they believed the added attention Massey might receive could detract from the match itself. BRE 2 - 1 NFO. Fernanda Colombo Uliana is quickly becoming a household name in football as the first female referee in Brazils top-flight football league, the Campeonato Brasileiro Srie A. Fernanda has overcome many obstacles to reach this level and is now at the forefront of the movement for gender equality in football. Welch had been working at the NHSBSA, which provides management services for the NHS surrounding repayment of prescription costs, but she "decided to take a career break" as her refereeing progress gathered pace. There are now a number of female referees taking charge of games at the highest level. Nesbitt also assisted in the. CNN . Thus, on May 27, I turned on the TV to watch a CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores group stage game between Defensa y Justicia of Argentina, and Independiente del Valle of Ecuador. Other women referees Serie A is not the first league to appoint a female official to referee a match. I've got faith in the system, and I've been rewarded.". There are a few names you will hear frequently when discussing history-making women working the mens game in Europe. The story is similar when you look at historic refereeing milestones around the globe over the past few years. The first female referee in the Premier League was Sian Massey-Ellis, who made her debut in 2010. (Photo: Michael Regan/Getty). Not many days go by that I dont turn on the TV to watch at least one soccer game. "Unfortunately, at my age I can't play myself, so it is nice to watch the others get out there and be active - especially the women. Earlier this year, Rebecca Welch became the first appointed female referee to take charge of an English Football League game when she oversaw Port Vale's 2-0 win against Harrogate Town . We can't wait for it to develop. It looks so cool and different compared to the other trophies. Hamilton Academical; Partick Thistle; Scottish League One . Of the 211 FIFA-affiliated associations (countries), 156 have at least one female international match official. A lack of role models is thought to be part of the problem. 2023. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. "Because of this, theres so many pathways for girls who want to follow in our footsteps. [25], In May 2018 Massey-Ellis was appointed as an assistant in the 2018 UEFA Women's Champions League Final. Referees must be physically fit and have the necessary knowledge and experience to officiate at the highest level. "I've grown so much as a person, being around the professional football environment, and learning from things I do wrong, something I probably didn't do as much of before I was a referee. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. She's excited, but I don't think she knows why! To become a FIFA referee, applicants must . Portsmouth Reserves is one of my favourite teams to watch and I try to come down as much as possible to support them, "I even do my best by wearing their merch. Compared to men's football, I find women's football at this level much calmer and it is easy to follow. The game I watched last week is the first time that a female has been in charge of a Copa Libertadores game. They're really proud. The 37-year-old, who has refereed men's matches in the National League and top women's games like the FA Cup final back in 2017, was chosen following an ongoing review of her performances during the current season. Copyrights Fast Sportsly. 2023 BBC. "The quality coming through female officials is absolutely mind-blowing.". Bundesliga in 2007 and established her name as the first female referee in German mens professional football. In the last 10 years Ive put a lot of hard work and commitment in and Ive reaped the rewards from that by getting promoted. "I've seen both sides of the game from when I first started playing for a local boys team, to having to pay to play . It is really beautiful. I dont want women appointed because theyre women. "We are both in the same leagues but in different areas of the country, so we knew it was going to be a tough game and had to make sure we were reliable to each other as team-mates on where we were playing on the pitch. One of them is Stephanie Frappart. 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. All rights reserved. "To be honest, I started my day by making sure my team were prepared for this big day. "It seems to have been a whirlwind over the past 11 years and now we're a week away from one of the biggest games of my career. Romani started her career as an assistant referee in the Italian Serie B in 2018 and has since gone on to referee in the Italian Serie A and Coppa Italia. Subsequently, all match officials for the womens tournament at the 2000 Summer Olympics (the second time there was a womens Olympic football competition) were also female. 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. Required fields are marked *. The sky is the limit. How to get into football - the most popular sport in the world, with clubs and facilities throughout the UK. Born in 1983, Fernanda began her football journey at the age of 15 when she joined a local female football team in her hometown of Porto Alegre. According to Football Makes History, The first female referee in a European first division in mens football was Nicole Petignat of Switzerland (1999) and the first female assistant referee was Gertrude Gebhard of Germany (1995). The first female assistant referee at the international level was Nelly Viennot (France) who worked the UEFA European Championship Qualifiers in 1996. Klopp then accused Tierney of saying something that was "not OK" and . However, despite never envisaging becoming a referee, she said she is "extremely proud and my familys extremely proud as well" to be making history. 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. [14], After her second Premier League game, as an assistant in Liverpool's 30 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 22 January 2011, a sexism controversy erupted over remarks made about Massey-Ellis by staff of the Premier League broadcaster Sky Sports, which led to commentator Andy Gray and presenter Richard Keys being sacked. "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. 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. Bibiana Steinhaus began refereeing in the mens 2. So the sight of. [13], Massey-Ellis was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to football. omen in professional sports as players, game officials, coaches and front office personnel w, virtually non-existent. Smith's visit was on 2023 FA Women's National League Finals Day as Leeds United Women, Stourbridge Women, Newcastle United Development and Portsmouth FC Development battled it out for the WNL Plate and Reserve Plate finals. Frappart took charge of refereeing a mens UEFA Champions League match in December 2020 (another first) and was the first woman in charge of a mens World Cup Qualifying match in March 2021. Copyrights Fast Sportsly. Wendy Toms made history when, in 1991, she worked as the fourth referee in the old Third Division. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The age limit for FIFA referees is 45 years old. "We love women's football a lot. She has since gone on to officiate in the Copa do Brasil, the Campeonato Paulista and the Campeonato Brasileiro. They need to earn the positions, pass the fitness tests and be technically capable. "As a male in the women's game, there is so much opportunity to join a match and referee for them, especially with girls who were part of today's final, who worked their absolute socks off. VideoCounty Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. On the international level, Steinhaus was in charge of the UEFA Womens Champions League final in 2017 as well as the Womens World Cup final in 2011 and the gold medal match for the Womens Olympics in 2012 at Wembley Stadium. BHA 6 - 0 WOL. ", Maddie, Poppy, Summer & Zoie (Stourbridge Women fans). (Photo: Liyusport.com). The Football Association points to an explosion in the number of women referees since the formation of the Women's Super League, with numbers up 76% between 2016 and 2020 and 2,146 officiating . All rights reserved. Her colleague. She is the first female referee to be appointed to the Italian Serie A and is quickly becoming a fan favorite. "We need more people involved, more fans and more broadcast events. English soccer's first female Muslim referee, Jawahir Roble, says she aims to one day officiate in the Premier League. 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). Her first appointment as an assistant referee was on 29 August 2009, a 22 draw between Hereford United and Port Vale. [9] In the 200910 men's season Massey was fourth official in five matches and assistant referee in 11 matches. Leeds won the match 31, winning the cup for the first time since its inaugural 199192 season.[11]. The 2022 World Cup will include female referees for the first time at a major men's international tournament, with Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor also selected to officiate. She is the first female official to referee a mens professional match in her native Argentina and is the only female referee in the Primera Division, the top tier of the Argentine football pyramid. LV= County Championship . Its so weird seeing the Euros trophy in real life because we have only seen it on the telly. It the end it was the strike from Graham Hansen in the first leg that is the . She added: "Without any struggles, no one is going to get anywhere, it . Check out the stellar selection of films on BBC iPlayer. Massey-Ellis has also refereed at the Womens World Cup and the Olympic Games. For a referee to move from one level . Rebecca Welch has made history by becoming the first woman appointed to referee a game in the English Football League. The Premier League supports the FA Women's National League (WNL), the third and fourth tiers of women's football, with 3m of investment and a new three-year strategy "Empowering For Success", which was launched this season. Frappart becomes first female ref in men's WCQ, Massey-Ellis: Fine line between criticism and sexism. Marking firsts like this for women in football matters, especially in a space where they have not always been fully welcome. All rights reserved. She only began training after one of those referees, who happened to be her friend, told her: If you think you can do any better, why dont you have a go.". of female referees which she updates regularly. CRY 4 - 3 WHU. | Why It Matters, UFC Fight Night: JJ Aldrich vs Ariane Lipski Live Streaming Watch Now. If I finish in the top one or two per cent at the end of the season, I put myself in a position to be selected. Frappart was the first woman to take charge of a major European final when she officiated the UEFA Super Cup match between Liverpool and Chelsea in August 2019. Referee Peter Bankes Asst. 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.. Having to match their energy and running pace is insane. Your email address will not be published. We are incredibly happy we have a team now where we can play together at this standard and at this level and we love it! These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Sian Massey-Ellis is a trailblazing female football referee who has broken down barriers in what is traditionally seen as a male-dominated industry. 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. Smith joins four new referees for the season - Jarred Gillett, Michael Salisbury, Tony Harrington and John Brooks - and . "I don't want positive discrimination," she said. in December 2020, making her the first woman to referee a championship match in professional mens sports in North America, almost forty years after Betty Ellis first ran the line in the NASL. 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? Welch said it was only recently that she had come to consider her position as a pioneer. 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. The referees officiate matches that range from local football to Premier League matches. "I don't want women to be promoted to the middle of the Premier League just so we can tick a box. Here Are Some Places to Start. Id never seen myself as a trailblazer until the last year, where Ive started to accept it because I think its important that people who are fortunate enough to be in my position or similar can show people that this can be done, she said. I've got faith in the system, and I've been rewarded.". I don't really try to focus too much on the future, I always take one game at a time. . "We've got to try and cut away some of the non-conscious bias that is still out there. She also was the first female referee to officiate mens matches in the Swiss Challenge League. formId: "1e092068-e6c8-4d90-9b3f-cc61c5958770" 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. Rebecca Welch becomes first female referee to be appointed to EFL game ahead of Harrogate Town vs Port Vale, Rebecca Welch has told Sky Sports News of her pride and excitement as she is set to become the first female appointed to referee a game in the English Football League. We watched the Euros last summer at our cousin's house in Manchester and were so happy when Chloe Kelly scored the winning goal. 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.

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