Ethiopian referee Lidya Tafesse and her assistants, Malawian Bernadettar Kwimbira and Nigerian Mimisen Iyorhe, became the first women to control a match at a senior CAF male tournament. The breakthrough came two years after women referees handled matches at the African under-23 and under-17 Cup of Nations tournaments. Tafesse, a former professional basketball player, tolerated no foul play as she yellow-carded three Tanzanians within 10 minutes during the second half. African male footballers often dispute decisions against them, but most accepted without hesitation the rulings of Tafesse at the Stade Omnisport in the southwestern coastal resort. CAF refereeing manager Eddy Maillet from the Seychelles was pleased as the trio created history eight days into the sixth edition of the Nations Championship. “The CHAN is the second most senior national team competition in the continent after the Africa Cup of Nations,” he said. “It is a wonderful platform for Lidya, Bernadettar and Mimisen to prove what they are capable of. They competed with male referees for places at this tournament and now they have made history,” he added.
SOURCE: VOA
More Stories
Tough Times Lie Ahead for Banks in Africa
The Most Prominent Challenge Female Entrepreneurs Face across Sub-Saharan Africa
Egypt to Raise Transit Fees in 2023 for all Types of Vessels Passing through the Suez Canal
Malawi Remains the World’s Poorest Peaceful Country
AfDB On How South Africa Should Use its Climate Funding
Can Nigeria’s National Carrier Rise from the Ashes?
Africa’s Top Mobile Internet Speed Falls Short of the Global Average
South Africa’s Latest Rolling Blackouts Takes its Toll on Fundamental Sectors of the Economy
Rallying Around Zimbabwe’s Economy
African Currencies are Depreciating against the Dollar
Movie about a Malawian Farmer and her Efforts to Change Minds in her Village and in the US
DRC’s Urban Regeneration