For the first time ever in history, female referees have been chosen to officiate at the FIFA men's World Cup. Salima Mukansanga, Stephanie Frappart, and Yamashita Yoshimi are three of the 36 referees chosen for the competition, which will begin on November 20.
The introduction of female referees for the first time in history at the World Cup for men would be one of the most notable “firsts” in the FIFA World Cup 2022, which is going to be held in Qatar. Stephanie Frappart of France, Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda, and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan are among the 36 referees chosen to oversee games in the Qatar World Cup.
The trio will also be joined by Karen Diaz Medina of Mexico, Neuza Back of Brazil, and Kathryn Nesbitt from the United States, all of whom will be amongst the 69 assistant referees at the tournament.
While announcing the referee appointments, the head of FIFA's Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, stated, "We explicitly emphasize that it is quality that counts and not gender."
The officiating career of French national Frappart has already had a rapid ascent. In 2019, the same year she assumed control of the women's league in her native country, the 38-year-old became the first woman to officiate France's Ligue 1.
Frappart also officiated the French Cup final last year, the 2020 Champions League, and the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea. “Because I did not necessarily anticipate this, I am very moved,” Frappart declared, after being selected as a referee for the World Cup in Qatar. "It does not get larger than the World Cup.”
Similar to Frappart, Yoshimi Yamashita, who is two years younger, rose to the pinnacle of the male game in Japan and, in 2019, became the first woman to officiate an Asian Champions League match.
She also served as a referee for one of the matches at the 2020 Olympic Games and the 2019 Women's World Cup in France.
Earlier this year, Yamashita gave up her position as a fitness coach, which she had done part-time before being a pro. "It is a tremendous responsibility, but I am pleased to have it," Yamashita said, of traveling to Qatar, adding that she "never dreamed" of being given such an opportunity.
The third referee to create history at FIFA 2022, Salima Mukansanga, 34, was selected to represent her country in the World Cup after being the first female match referee at the men's Africa Cup in January. She has also presided over matches at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020 and the 2019 Women's World Cup.
Mukansanga had dreams of playing basketball professionally, but by the time she turned 20, she was already officiating in the domestic women's league in her own nation. "I liked basketball and wanted to take it seriously, but finding coaches and basketball facilities was difficult. That's how I got into refereeing, which I've never regretted doing either,” Mukansanga said, in a 2019 interview with New Times while further stating that "I adore it."
All of the trailblazing officials chosen for Qatar are excited about the chance to represent female referees in what may be a turning point in the future, despite a lot of outside influences.
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