A&H

women in the preimer league

women officials in the preimer league?


  • Total voters
    16

Ryan

THE REF
Level 7 Referee
this may of been discussed already but i was wondering what was everyone's opinion on this... a prime example is Sian Massey, Sian is an excellent referee in my opinion, but some people say only have men in the premier league, what is everyone's thoughts?
 
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I do think that allowing female officials to officiate in a male league is wrong, however, it happens all across the board, and of course men officiate in women's league. I think that priority for men should be to officiate in mens matches and women for women respectively. Obviously, this isn't the case. As you say, Sian does a brilliant job, and she is someone that is there on her own merit, what I disagree with is when women are promoted simply because they are women.

So, to sum up, no. However, if they deserve their place, and aren't there at the expense of a better male official, I can live with it :p
 
This is one of the things that the FA appear to have got right. People are promoted to higher levels on the basis of their knowledge, fitness and ability. There are no "favours" because you are older, female, disabled, this colour, that religion. Basically, if you know the LOTG, have proved yourself with the matches that you officiate at and are fit enough, the rest does not matter. And nor should it. Many jobs nowadays that have "requirements" have variations to allow for females, older people etc. Even the army has a different fitness standard for females and older soldiers even though they may be expected to do the same job. If you can't make the grade, no favours - no job.
 
This is one of the things that the FA appear to have got right. People are promoted to higher levels on the basis of their knowledge, fitness and ability. There are no "favours" because you are older, female, disabled, this colour, that religion.

I disagree. Female officials have their own career path and can gain FIFA status easier and more quickly than male officials.

As for females in the Premier League, I can't see why not - but only if they take exactly the same route as the men!
 
I don't agree with you fully there Groupie. For women, such as Sian Massey, to gain their 'men's' levels, they go through the same process as the men.

It is different in the women's game however. Sian Massey, as far as I'm aware, is a 2B in the men's list. However, she officiates International women's matches as a 'senior official', equivalent of a 1.
 
I disagree. Female officials have their own career path and can gain FIFA status easier and more quickly than male officials.
Only within the Women's game, I believe, where it could also be argued that it is 'easier' for a player to reach international level than in the men's game, due to the number of players in the game and the standard.
 
Only within the Women's game, I believe, where it could also be argued that it is 'easier' for a player to reach international level than in the men's game, due to the number of players in the game and the standard.

I've had the honor of meeting FIFA referee Kari Seitz at a referee camp last year, and she made it quite clear that while she can easily meet the same international testing and fitness requirements for men, it is not yet possible for women to officiate in men's FIFA events or tournaments. She offhandedly referenced Blatter's rather sexist past comments (women's game being more popular if they wore shorter pants, et al) as to why FIFA has not yet taken a more enlightened view, but she was joking...mostly.

Leagues, of course, have their own standards, and the Premier League obviously allows them, as does MLS here in the US.
 
There's no reason why women can't ref in the prem, Sian is a prime example she's a top assistant! As for the separate pathways its for the separate games you can choose to go down the womens pathway which means effectively remaining a level 7 on the mens pathway or go down the mens pathway and automatically be able to ref the womens games like the men do
 
She offhandedly referenced Blatter's rather sexist past comments (women's game being more popular if they wore shorter pants, et al) as to why FIFA has not yet taken a more enlightened view, but she was joking...mostly.
Leagues, of course, have their own standards, and the Premier League obviously allows them, as does MLS here in the US.

Sad, but why does that not surprise me?

I guess the more top leagues have them, then the more FIFA (and I guess UEFA) will have to sit up and take notice.
 
If they're good enough, yes. But I would be loathed to see some form of affirmative action.
 
Sian passes the same fitness tests as men to be a PL assistant, so she is there on merit. I've had the pleasure of being assistant to her on a few occasions, and even though she may be treated slightly differently at the games off the pitch, she doesn't expect it, and she certainly doesn't get treated differently on the pitch!
 
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