Africa-Press – Namibia. RWANDAN referee Salima Rhadia Mukansanga is an inspiration to aspiring women match officials in Africa, said former Namibia Football Association executive member Julien Garises.
Mukansanga made history as the first African woman to officiate at the finals of the Fifa World Cup in Qatar, exactly 10 months after achieving a similar feat at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Speaking to Desert Radio recently, Garises said football is evolving, and having women officiating at a men’s World Cup is a significant milestone.
“Having Mukansanga at the World Cup is a humbling feeling for Africa, just like having any African athlete representing the continent on the world stage is a welcome boost,” said Garises. “It was an important and exciting appointment from Fifa and it certainly means a lot for women’s football,” she said. Mukansanga’s discipline and dedication were rewarded with opportunities to officiate at both Fifa and the Confederation of African Football competitions.
Her latest achievement was to officiate the Group D clash between France and Australia on 8 December. Garises believes Mukansanga’s appointment for the Qatar showdown will inspire younger referees, not just from Rwanda but the entire African continent. “Now, Namibian women referees can aspire to follow in her footsteps and officiate at global sport competitions. We have competitions like the women’s World Cup and Olympic Games, and as long as Africa stands tall, sport on the continent will change for the better in many countries in Africa,” said Garises.
It is important for Namibia’s referee association to start appointing women referees for different competitions, she said.
“Namibia has natural talent in sport not just athletes but well-equipped officials and even in the absence of an active league in Namibia, the country managed to have women referees officiating at regional and continental competitions,” said Garises. “Local referees need to be given fair chances and only consistency will ensure that Namibian women referees are appointed to officiate on the continent.”
Garises also called on the national referee association to give equal opportunities to both women and men referees during the Debmarine Namibia Premiership, and not limit women to the first division. She said Namibia has women referees who officiated at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and they are capable of taking charge of premiership matches. “Let us not be jealous of each other but let them (women referees) feed their families through football,” Garises said.
“Let them be given opportunities and be visible. If they are kept as fourth officials and referees of the first division, they will never grow.”
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