Qatar: Female referees are going to break the history this year by working games at a prominent men’s tournament for the first time in Qatar.
Three female referees among three female assistant referees were selected on May 19 by FIFA among 129 officials chosen for World Cup duty, including the one man who caused controversy when referring to a chaotic African Cup of Nations game in January while suffering from heatstroke.
French referee ‘Stéphanie Frappart’ has already performed men’s games in World Cup qualifying and the Champions League after taking the 2019 Women’s World Cup final. She also adjudicated the final of the men’s French Cup this month.
Kathryn Nesbitt today became one of six female officials to make history, being appointed to the #WorldCup. For the first time. Ever.
Quite a journey for a "kid who started as a summer job" who up to two weeks before the 2019 @FIFAWWC, was a professor of chemistry.
Her story.
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) May 19, 2022
‘Quality first’: Pierluigi Collina
According to FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina’, our criteria used in FIFA are quality, and the shortlisted match officials represent the highest level of refereeing worldwide. In this way, we clearly highlight the quality that counts for us and our gender.
Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan are included in the list of 36 referees who were preparing for the 64 games at the tournament, which will be played from November 21 to December 18.
The 69 assistant umpires contain Neuza Back of Brazil, Karen Díaz Medina of Mexico and Kathryn Nesbitt of the United States.
According to Collina, “I would hope that in the future, whenever there is a selection process for men’s competitions will be held, it may be considered as something normal and no longer as sensational”.
Controversial AFCON referees included
Among the male umpires is Janny Sikazwe of Zambia, who ruined the final whistle at an African Cup group match after 85 minutes and 13 seconds before the 90 minutes were finished, with Mali Tunisia 1–0.
Nearly 30 minutes after the match, officials ordered the teams back on the field to restart play, but Tunisia refused. The Confederation of African Football later ratified the result despite an official protest by Tunisia.
The teams played the match in heat and humidity in Cameroon, and Sikazwe later explained that he initiated to become confused in the intense conditions.
Sikazwe will be working at his second World Cup after handling two group games at the 2018 tournament in Russia.
FIFA has selected 24 men to work on video reviews. The VAR system made its debut in 2018.
Two referees were picked from Argentina, Brazil, England and France.