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Referees urged to “seize the moment”
Europe’s top female referees face important challenges in the coming months – with UEFA issuing a clarion call encouraging them to make the most of the opportunities that are waiting for them.
With the UEFA Women’s EURO in England in July fast approaching, the referees – all candidates for the team of match officials at the tournament – are being called on to make every performance count in the period ahead as they strive to book their place at the premier event in European women’s national team football.
“Sport, like all of life, is about taking your chances,“ UEFA refereeing officer Dagmar Damková told the group of 23 European female referees at UEFA’s annual winter course.
“This EURO is going to be a massive event for women’s football, new standards are going to be set,” she added. “And the referees who take part are going to make a hugely important contribution.”
The winter course, held online owing to restrictions brought about by the pandemic, served to prime the match officials for the schedule that lies in front of them in the next few months. The first challenges arrive with the knockout stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, which will crown a memorable season of change and evolution for the competition with its new 16-
The Women’s EURO referee team will be selected after the Women’s Champions League quarter-
“Performances will take priority over names when we choose the referees,” Damková says. “We could have a situation where referees that are not so well-
UEFA is delighted that its pool of female referees is more impressive than ever in terms of quality and dedication. “The decisions about who goes to the EURO are going to be very difficult, because we now have a growing group of high-
“Before now, we had a smaller group of referees that we knew we could rely on for big occasions,” Damková adds. “But now that group has grown in size. We believe that Europe’s female referees are reaching new heights. It’s positive that we now have a bigger pool to choose from for important assignments.
“We’ve used the winter course to prepare the referees for their duties, passed on technical instructions, and told them not only what they should expect, but what UEFA expects of them – focus, consistency, confidence and correct and uniform decision-
Video assistant referees (VAR) will be deployed from the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-
“We’ve been very busy preparing for VAR activities in recent months,” Damková explains, “and we’re ready for the challenges ahead. VAR is good for the game, because it helps the decision-
UEFA’s comprehensive development programme for female referees reflects the body’s determination to ensure that refereeing keeps pace with the rapidly evolving tactical and technical evolution of women’s football.
“The development of female referees must go hand in hand with the development of the game on the field,” Damková insists. “A lot of our work with the referees may be hidden from view, but our work has been diligent and focussed – referees will not be left behind as women’s football goes forward.”
Damková herself was a leading international referee, taking charge of finals of the Women’s EURO (2009), UEFA Women’s Champions League (2011) and Olympic women’s football tournament (2008). Her broad experience proves crucial in helping modern-
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“It’s important that you’re able to be self-
“The coming months will be very exciting with the climax of the Women’s Champions League season and the EURO to come. I’m proud of our referees for the commitment they show, as well as the flexibility they have demonstrated during these difficult times. And now is the moment when they must strive to take hold of the opportunities that are in front of them. ”