View Full Version : World Cup may get its 1st female referee
pacref
13 Apr 2006, 08:30 AM
Does this mean that the team concept was a sham and that we might get a representative or two in Germany after all?
Associated Press
"ZURICH, Switzerland - Nelly Viennot of France could become the first female official at soccer's World Cup if she passes FIFA tests later this month.
FIFA said Viennot would be among 82 assistant referees who will be tested for "World Cup worthiness" in Frankfurt on April 18-21. A final 60 will be selected in early May for World Cup duty in Germany.
The tests include physical fitness and familiarity with and interpretation of the laws of the game.
FIFA has already announced the names of the 23 referees who will officiate at the 2006 World Cup."
MassachusettsRef
13 Apr 2006, 09:03 AM
Viennot is an AR tied to Poulat. She's always been under consideration.
Englishref
13 Apr 2006, 09:43 AM
Viennot is an AR tied to Poulat. She's always been under consideration.
And was allegedly the reason for Poulat's team being taken off the WYC. If I were Poulat, I'd be a bit worried. Hopefully she does make it though, she is a good AR.
RushOnze
13 Apr 2006, 10:19 AM
And was allegedly the reason for Poulat's team being taken off the WYC. If I were Poulat, I'd be a bit worried. Hopefully she does make it though, she is a good AR.
and they have made the fitness test harder than it was at the WYC
pacref
13 Apr 2006, 11:06 AM
How do the numbers work out with 23 CRs that would be 46 ARs. So the other 14 should tied to the "Developmental CRs". So why 80 in camp?
Are the other 20 there as backup if some of the 60 "attached" ARs don't pass the tests? If so, do any of the USSF guys have a chance?
Psychosis hsv
13 Apr 2006, 11:35 AM
player will be unable to play if she is cute
Englishref
13 Apr 2006, 04:46 PM
How do the numbers work out with 23 CRs that would be 46 ARs. So the other 14 should tied to the "Developmental CRs". So why 80 in camp?
Are the other 20 there as backup if some of the 60 "attached" ARs don't pass the tests? If so, do any of the USSF guys have a chance?
There are 80 ARs for 30 referees. From that 80, 60 will be selected for the WC. The other 20 won't go at all. So of that 60, 46 will be 'attached' to the 23 Select Group referees, and the other 14 to the 7 Support Group referees.
player will be unable to play if she is cute
Trust me, they will be able to play. ;)
Sagy
14 Apr 2006, 01:13 AM
player will be unable to play if she is cuteShouldn't be your top concern.
Here is her picture
http://www.fifa.com/images/comp/1069/refrees/2004/41389.jpg
from the FIFA web site (http://www.fifa.com/en/comp/refereedetails/0,2466,41389-OFW-2004-10,00.html).
Chas (Psyatika)
14 Apr 2006, 08:55 AM
Shouldn't be your top concern.
Here is her picture
http://www.fifa.com/images/comp/1069/refrees/2004/41389.jpg
from the FIFA web site (http://www.fifa.com/en/comp/refereedetails/0,2466,41389-OFW-2004-10,00.html).That's harsh...
Not on Sagy's part; on Viennot's parents'.
sandaroo
14 Apr 2006, 12:36 PM
Classic guys...a discussion about a female ref/ar that somehow has to bring out her physical attributes :rolleyes:
Kudos to Englishref for first mentioning her skills as an AR.
Chubbywubby
14 Apr 2006, 03:00 PM
While I agree with you about sexism in general, I must point out that most of the insults on this forum are gender neutral: just look at all the comments about Pierluigi Collina's looks. :)
oldmanreferee
17 Apr 2006, 10:56 PM
I have heard the Barkey and Strickland are headed to Germany to take the tests lets hope we get those two there.
Has anyone seen a list of prospects??
I heard one from AFC got dropped as he arrived in Germany
BC_Ref
18 Apr 2006, 12:41 PM
While I agree with you about sexism in general, I must point out that most of the insults on this forum are gender neutral: just look at all the comments about Pierluigi Collina's looks. :)
Yes, but Collina's looks were generally (once he got established) considered to be a helpful and vital part of his game management. If we were talking about a Ms. Collina, I doubt we'd be quite so nice.
oldmanreferee
20 Apr 2006, 03:36 PM
pacref How do the numbers work out with 23 CRs that would be 46 ARs. So the other 14 should tied to the "Developmental CRs". So why 80 in camp?
Are the other 20 there as backup if some of the 60 "attached" ARs don't pass the tests? If so, do any of the USSF guys have a chance?
From the Website. Each referee will have 3 assistant referee's with them so that is why they are bringing in so many and
Barkey and Strickland have a shot they are there right now
MassachusettsRef
20 Apr 2006, 05:08 PM
I don't have all the details, but I've heard there have already been several failures, with a few of them potentially causing some high profile referees to be dropped, if FIFA sticks by its guns. Things could get very interesting, yet.
pacref
20 Apr 2006, 05:25 PM
:rolleyes: I don't have all the details, but I've heard there have already been several failures, with a few of them potentially causing some high profile referees to be dropped, if FIFA sticks by its guns. Things could get very interesting, yet.
MASS: I was going to bring up just that question. Does Poulat now go home, will he be able to team with some of the developmentals?
Isn't the AR test a bit more difficult than the CR one. It seems that I read that they have more sprinting legs than the CR and they have less time to do them.
MassachusettsRef
21 Apr 2006, 10:34 AM
MASS: I was going to bring up just that question. Does Poulat now go home, will he be able to team with some of the developmentals?Well, this would all be a lot easier to decipher if we knew exactly who was at the workshop. Some referees had 2 ARs training to work for them, others had 3. From the way I understand it, if you had 3 and 1 failed, you're okay. If you had 2, however, I think that's the end of your chances. If Viennot is the only failure and there are 3 French ARs, Poulat should be fine.
I have heard, however, that multiple Greek and Spanish ARs have failed, as has one Slovakian. That would seem to definitively doom Vassaras. As for the Spaniards and Slovak, it's all contingent on whether or not both Spaniards were attached to Gonzalez. If they were, does he actually get cut?! And if Michel only had 2 ARs with him, does he stay home from Germany, too?!
I've got a feeling that FIFA has kept the AR workshop relatively secretive because of just these sort of potential scenarioes. Its system of "reform" and "transparency" is laughable already, but it would be downright comical if this entire process kept guys like Michel and Gonzalez from refereeing at the World Cup.
The big question for me, right now, is who Barkey and Strickland have a chance of working with. The only plausible scenario I can imagine is Prendergast, but that would mean the Trinidadian AR stays home (which seems to have been the whole purpose of sending Prendergast to begin with). I suppose Batres is a possibility, but I don't see his ARs failing. It would seem that, unless FIFA is willing to tie to American ARs to a non-CONCACAF referee, USSF officials are out of luck again.
oldmanreferee
21 Apr 2006, 12:58 PM
Barkey could be paired with either group since he is Bilingual.
Strickland is a little more tough.
Batres Torn his ACL and had surgery in Janurary
bluedevils
21 Apr 2006, 02:49 PM
what exactly are the ARs failing - a fitness test, or some other test/evaluation? If it is a fitness test, specifically what fitness test is it (e.g. Cooper, etc.)?
chrisrun
21 Apr 2006, 03:00 PM
what exactly are the ARs failing - a fitness test, or some other test/evaluation? If it is a fitness test, specifically what fitness test is it (e.g. Cooper, etc.)?
I'm guessing it's the same test we talked about last month:
http://ssbra.org/html/education/othe...s_E%5B1%5D.pdf