The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) named three females among 36 to officiate the men’s World Cup in Qatar for the first time. Salima Mukasanga of Rwanda has just made history again as she becomes the first-ever African female referee at the Mundial.
It’s a remarkable achievement for Mukusanga, who was the first African female referee at the Women’s World Cup 2019 edition and earlier this year.
She became the first woman to handle a match at the African Cup of Nations. FIFA’s chief referee, Pierluigi Collina, justified FIFA’s decision to incorporate female officials. He said, as per MG:
“They are here not because they are women but because they are FIFA selected match officials.” However, for Mukansanga, officiating the men’s World Cup is “very exciting, and it’s a privilege for me. I never dreamed of going to the Men’s World Cup. “No other girl continued. It is a difficult thing because there were times when I was feeling discouraged.”
A nurse by profession, Mukusanga has been a FIFA referee since 2012, officiating international tournaments, including the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The other two ladies on such an assignment are Stephanie Frappart of France and Yamashita Yoshimi of Japan.
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