Ana Paula Oliveira has been a professional referee since 1999. Her passion for the profession started as far back as age 14 when she would follow her father on his amateur referee outings.
She primarily works as a lines-lady, and claims to use her good hearing and a kind of frozen vision to catch offside offenders. Ana says she never looks at where the ball comes from, relying solely on hearing to determine the moment of the pass.
According to some leading ophthalmologists women have a better ability to petrify an image whereas men tend to look ahead. So apart from being much more attractive, a lines-lady may actually be able to do a better job.
However, Ana may not be the best example of women in this profession as she has committed several mistakes while working as the main referee in decisive matches for the Brazilian Championship (First Division), and as a result was subsequently reduced to doing only fourth division matches and only in Sao Paulo.
After this she made things even worse by posing for Playboy magazine and was subsequently removed from the FIFA list of referees as well. She was then suspended in Brazil where it was alleged she was also not up to scratch physically—in the fitness sense of the word.
Many other less controversial women referees work in Brazil such as Ivone Oliveira. She dreams of handling a match in the World Cup, which will be held there in 2014.
In order to achieve this, Ivone knows that she must first handle a Fluminense vs Flamengo derby and possibly be called to the Olympics as well.
She works hard everyday to try to reach the new FIFA fitness requirements in a bid to realize her dreams. Only time will tell if she can make history in 2014.
Women referees have been present in the Sao Paulo, Rio, and Brazilian Championships for quite some time. There have even been Libertadores matches handled by them as well.
They have added a most beautiful touch to the already beautiful game.
What do you, the reader and football fan, think about this development in the sport?
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2 months ago
Sweet....I dont see why they cant be refs. And thats not talkin from a mans point of view, but women are as phsyically fit as men and should be considered.
Your right S, that wasa breath of fresh air from the Ronaldo-related transfer hoo doo on bleacher at the moment, a good read.
Keep the news from South America coming...
Keith
from 2 months ago
Thanks Keith.....thought something lighter would break some of the tension around here a bit.
2 months ago
If only women's footballers looked like this...
from 2 months ago
touche mate!
2 months ago
Good point although I'd advise you to change the picture.
from 2 months ago
Oh come on Salaar.......it`s PG at most ....do you really think its that bad??
If so then I`ll change it.
2 months ago
Oh S... you made my day and get my pick no more Ronaldo jive this was the relief I needed Brazil only god made you this way you lucky lucky people...
from 2 months ago
Glad to hear it Alby....thanks.
Have a good weekend too.
2 months ago
I think we should open it up to the market and female ref's have as equal a shot in my book as males...
from 2 months ago
From what I understand there is no real FIFA restriction.....just a lot of silent prejudice out there (which is the worst kind)
2 months ago
I think if we have to put up with footballers taking off their clothes for calenders we should be able to look at that ref! Definitely PG! Great article mate.
2 months ago
If they started a league where the refs and ARs were women in bikinis she would be great. Otherwise, go home. I don't care what anyone says, I don't want a woman refereeing an important match.
Why?
Because she's a woman.
The end.
** I know plenty of people in Sao Paulo who have actually attended one of her matches. She is quite well-known in Brazil, but for the most part disliked because of her enormous blunder in the match mentioned above.
2 months ago
I don't see what sex has anything to do with it. If the ref does a good job, great. If they do a bad job, thats terrible. Woman are not the only ones that have made major mistakes in huge games and men are not the only ones that do a good job.
Men and women need to be looked at the same and judged purely on talent.
from 2 months ago
So true.
Apart from that I did not really mention in the article the fans, players and coaches.
All three seem to have reservations about chucking, shouting at or throwing objects at a woman which kind of keeps the house in order.
Grumbling ....but in order.
2 months ago
Women refs should play in the premier league they would probley make better desisions and be able to calm a violent situation up quicker, and im sure they look prittyer then graham pole. plus maybe they could swap shirts with the players at the end of the games aaaahhhh id love to be at that match. it would be a hole new meaning to the buetiffle game.
from 2 months ago
LOL ....i like the shirt swap idea.
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