Monsurat
Rwandan born Salima Mukansanga, has made history as the first female African referee at the men’s FIFA world cup. She was named in the FIFA list of 36 referees to the 2022 World cup in Qatar.
Mukansanga is part of the three female referees selected for the first time for a men’s FIFA World Cup, alongside France’s Stephanie Frappart and Japan’s Yamashita Yoshimi. She was also the first female African referee at the Women’s World Cup 2019 as well as the first female referee to officiate at the African Cup of Nations.
The 34-year old told BBC Sports Africa that “it is an honor and a privilege because it’s never happened before”. “It means you’re going to be the first one and going to open the door for other women, especially in Africa”, she said.
Speaking on choosing the female referees, the Chairman of FIFA’s referee committee, Pierluigi Collina said “it is quality that counts for us and not gender”. “I hope that in future, the selection of elite women’s match officials for important men’s competitions will be perceived as something normal”
“They deserve to be at the World Cup because they constantly perform at a really high level”, said Collina. @mukansangasalma @fifaworldcup @fifa
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