That a female referee in an RPL club match is no longer a dream or an anecdote. This is the truest reality. The Russian Cup match between Baltika and Krylia Sovetov will be judged by the main referee Vera Opeikina.
Photo source: FC Chaika
This move by the RFU is direct proof that refereeing in Russia is reaching a fundamentally new level. And now this path is open not only to men. And the appointment of a female referee for a cup match prepares the ground and tests the pen before the entry of the fair half of humanity into the RPL. And that’s even good.
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Russian referees are criticized by football fans and experts alike. And all this is deserved. Frequent mistakes, loss of points and concentration, incomprehensible shots and the same tasks are boring. Russian football needs new blood. And from the experience of foreign colleagues, who came to this much earlier, we can be convinced that there is a place for girls in football.
For example, in the most footballing country in the world, in the Brazilian Championship, one of the referees, Silvia Regina, has worked as the main referee on the field since 2003, for more than 20 years. She and she collect exclusively positive reviews, being considered one of the main refereeing forces of the local championship.
Why go far: Frenchwoman Stephanie Frappart at the last World Cup in 2022 in Qatar (a country in which women have a “special” attitude, where they have many fewer rights) became the first female referee of the men’s World Cup. She took the initiative in the match between the German and Costa Rican teams. And it worked very well. Without a shred of doubt about her professionalism. If you have experience in the highest football competition, what are you afraid of in Russia?
Photo source: Getty Images
But there are concerns, and they really do take place. Russia has a different mentality. In our country, not everyone is happy with the new position of girls in society. Therefore, it is quite common to find cases in which unflattering shouts and insults towards the referees are heard from the stands, such as: “go home and cook borscht.”
However, both culture and mentality are changing in Russia. If initially not everyone understands this innovation, over time it will become commonplace. The girls will prove their worth, their right to receive the best matches at one level or another.
The level of women’s refereeing in Russia is high compared to world standards. Our girls are often invited to referee international games and competitions. And it is necessary to be proud of such an asset, support it and believe in it. A new era is approaching in Russian arbitration.
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