Breaking barriers .. Tunisian women lead football matches efficiently
The new list of international referees accredited by the International Football Association (FIFA), which was announced by the Tunisian Federation last week, came as pleasant surprises for the girls who chose to participate in arbitration and to confirm the increasing interest paid by those responsible for the ball to give the opportunity for women referees to compete in the management of matches.
8 female court judges make the event
The new list of international referees approved by the Football Association in Tunisia included 22 referees, including 8 women.
Since the rise of Hikma Darsaf El Kanawati’s shares, and her entry into the history of football in her country, in May 2017, when she had the honor of the first woman to referee a men’s football match in Tunisia, the field of arbitration has begun to appeal to many, whether those who played football and decided to engage in arbitration after retiring, or those who entered directly The whistle world is under the supervision of the referees committee in the Tunisian Football Federation.
In 2017, football officials in Tunisia granted Kanwati, an international referee since 2015, the opportunity to officiate a men’s match in the second division, between Stade Tunisien and Association Djerba.
But the 36-year-old El Kanawati made her way steadily in a world that seems difficult for the fair sex, as in June 2019 she became the first woman wisdom to manage a men’s match, but within the first division, in the last round between Esperance Tunis and Club Bizerte, before she won the honor of being appointed in The team of referees for the final of the Tunisian Cup between the Union of Monastir and Esperance of Tunisia, in September 2020.
Regarding the honor of her appointment in a number of men’s matches and in important competitions in Tunisia, El Kanawati said that this appointment was not only a personal culmination of her efforts in that season 2019/2020, but rather a great honor that includes all football referees in Tunisia and Tunisian and Arab women in general.
In her statement to Sky News Arabia, Kanawati, who refereed several international matches, most recently the African Nations Cup for Women in Morocco last July, confirmed: “When I represented the women’s referee in the cup final in 2020, it was not easy, it was a special challenge and a message at the moment. The same that Tunisian and Arab women are able to assume responsibility in various fields, I thank very much the Tunisian Federation headed by Wadih Al-Bari for this confidence that motivated me to continue working with the aim of being prominent in bigger competitions. I have to thank the officials of the Referees Committee who encouraged me after every match, this confidence It motivated me to draw for myself a remarkable refereeing career.”
Al-Hikma, who was constantly present in the refereeing teams of a number of Premier League matches in Tunisia, revealed that her dream is to one day manage a match in the World Cup finals.
El Kanawati entered the world of refereeing in football in 2011, before being selected in the first list of football referees to manage youth matches and the women’s league at the time, and then graduated in categories to be the management of the match between the Tunisian Stadium and the Association of Djerba in 2017, the first turning point on the path to success and prominence.
legitimate competition
In turn, the assistant wisdom, Hoda Afin, made the event the week before last when she contributed to the management of the Tunisia Cup final match between SC Sfaxien and Mustaqbal La Marsa.
The Tunisian Football Association appointed Huda Afeen, the assistant international referee, among the match referees, led by referee Yusri Bouali, to be the first assistant referee to appear in the cup final in the history of the competition.
Afin also participated in several football competitions for men and women, and was present in the matches of Togo and Uganda, then Morocco and Uganda within the African Nations Cup for Women in Morocco.
In turn, the president of the Tunisian Football Association, Wadih Al-Jari, praised what he considered the remarkable brilliance of football referees in Tunisia, and behind him the brilliance of Tunisian women in general.
Regarding the rise in the shares of football referees and their constant appointment in Arab and African competitions, the bold said on his official Facebook page: “Women’s arbitration in Tunisia has been making great gains. It is a firm conviction that Tunisian women can shine in all fields.”
The bold congratulated the international and emerging judges, praising the role of the chairperson of the Women’s Arbitration Committee, saying: “Thank you to Drsaf El Kanawati, Hoda Afeen, Rahma Alaoui and Maysa Ben Nejaima for honoring the arbitration and for Tunisian women, and for the chairperson of the Women’s Arbitration Committee, Monia El-Badawy, for her valuable work in briefing the judges.”
The number of female football referees in Tunisia exceeds 30, including 8 international women, as well as local women referees who are used in the women’s football league, and others whose appearance is limited to matches in youth leagues and training academies.
