AndrewLangton Nyakwenda
FOR the first time in 92 years of the World Cup, female referees are officiating at the ongoing global football showpiece in Qatar.
Rwandan referee Salima Mukasanga is a part of this magnificent piece of history.
The 34-year-old referee is one of the six pioneering women, alongside fellow referees Stephanie Frappart of France and Yoshimi Yamashita and three other assistant referees who are at the World Cup.
In a recent interview with BBC Sport, Mukasanga said she hoped her selection would inspire and create more opportunities for other African referees.
She is already inspiring scores of female officials across the continent, including Zimbabwe’s own Faith Mloyi.
Mloyi, a 40-year-old Bulawayo-based police officer, was recently crowned Premier Soccer League Referee of the Year first runner-up.
Coincidentally, she has a connection with Mukasanga.
They both attended the CAF Elite course held in Djibouti in 2019, and they were also together at another Elite course held in Cairo last year. “Salima (Mukasanga) is an inspiration because she makes me believe I can also reach the heights that she has scaled,” Mloyi told The Sunday Mail Sport.
“We attended some of the CAF courses together recently, so, that tells you the potential we have here.
“What one needs is discipline and dedication. Ladies have to work extra hard and believe that anything is possible, including officiating at the World Cup.
“Anyone can also go to the World Cup but it all starts here, in those local grounds,” she said.
Mloyi started refereeing in Bulawayo’s high-density suburb of Magwegwe.
She was encouraged to take up the profession by her brother-in-law Johnson Ndlovu.
And her journey officially kicked off with an advertisement in the local press, which invited aspiring referees to attend a course that was being held in Bulawayo back in 2001.
“My sister’s husband introduced me to refereeing when he came and said there is an advertisement which is saying there is a training course for referees, and females were encouraged to attend.
“I attended that course and that was the beginning of the journey.”
She then affiliated as a Class Four referee in 2002, and rose through the ranks until she became a FIFA assistant referee in 2014.
“But in the beginning, it was difficult. I remember officiating a local match in Magwegwe, where the crowd mocked me.
“Some were shouting obscenities at me and I was like, yeah, I will not come back again.
“Luckily, my brother-in-law kept on encouraging me,” Mloyi revealed.
Another female referee, Sabelo Maphosa, also served as Mloyi’s inspiration back then.
In 2009, Mloyi was invited to a FIFA course and something tragic happened.
She failed a fitness test and could not graduate as an international referee.
“But I did not fall down forever. I started training and working hard. In 2010, I was now refereeing in the Premier Soccer League and now had more experience.
She got more training in Djibouti, where she met the history-making Mukasanga.
Mloyi further enhanced her CV with another CAF Elite course held in Cairo last year.
“CAF is doing a great job and FIFA is also doing a great job to honour women in that male-dominated environment.
“It was a very big honour to be invited to those courses. I was very happy as I met referees from across Africa.
“Women can do well in refereeing. It’s up to them to work hard so that they are recognised,” she says.
Mloyi was born in Plumtree and only relocated to Bulawayo after finishing secondary school in 2000. She stayed with her sister in Magwegwe, where her brother-in-law introduced her to refereeing.
“I also attended some football matches with my sister’s husband and grew to love the game,” Mloyi says.
She has officiated at international Youths Games and COSAFA tournaments and on December 2, she cemented her place among the best referees, when she was named the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Referee of the Year first runner-up.
It was her second consecutive first runner-up award.
“December 2 was a great day in my life. I was very happy,” she said.
“As a female referee, that was a big honour to be selected among my male counterparts. It shows there’s something good I am doing.
“I encourage other females out there to continue working hard, to focus and know what they want.”
In the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), she is a sergeant major.
“The sky is the limit; it only needs your determination.
“No one can make a decision for you on the field of play. Respect, focus, work hard and pray to God, then everything will be well.
“I would also like to thank the ZRP for supporting me, by giving me the time to train and the opportunity to go and officiate games.
“My daughter also encourages me, not forgetting my best friend and trainer Oscar Bume and my physical coach Khanyile Dhlamini.”
Mloyi had some special praise for CAF referee instructor Felix Tangawarima.
“He has done a lot to improve us, referees.”
■ Twitter: @LangtonGuraz
Online Reporter