World Cup may get its 1st female referee

Discussion in 'Referee' started by pacref, Apr 13, 2006.

  1. pacref

    pacref Member

    Jun 8, 2000
    North Texas
    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."
     
  2. MassachusettsRef

    MassachusettsRef Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 30, 2001
    Washington, DC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Viennot is an AR tied to Poulat. She's always been under consideration.
     
  3. Englishref

    Englishref Member

    Jul 25, 2004
    London, England
    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.
     
  4. RushOnze

    RushOnze New Member

    May 16, 2001
    Colorado
    and they have made the fitness test harder than it was at the WYC
     
  5. pacref

    pacref Member

    Jun 8, 2000
    North Texas
    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?
     
  6. Psychosis hsv

    Psychosis hsv Member

    Mar 30, 2006
    Club:
    FC Köln
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    player will be unable to play if she is cute
     
  7. Englishref

    Englishref Member

    Jul 25, 2004
    London, England
    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.

    Trust me, they will be able to play. ;)
     
  8. Sagy

    Sagy Member

    Aug 6, 2004
    Shouldn't be your top concern.

    Here is her picture
    [​IMG]
    from the FIFA web site.
     
  9. Chas (Psyatika)

    Oct 6, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Crystal Palace FC
    That's harsh...

    Not on Sagy's part; on Viennot's parents'.
     
  10. sandaroo

    sandaroo Member

    Jan 26, 2006
    2nd to last defender
    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.
     
  11. Chubbywubby

    Chubbywubby Member

    Apr 11, 2004
    Denver, CO
    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. :)
     
  12. oldmanreferee

    oldmanreferee Member

    Dec 28, 2005
    Mountain View, ca
    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
     
  13. BC_Ref

    BC_Ref New Member

    Jul 18, 2004
    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.
     
  14. oldmanreferee

    oldmanreferee Member

    Dec 28, 2005
    Mountain View, ca
    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
     
  15. MassachusettsRef

    MassachusettsRef Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 30, 2001
    Washington, DC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    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.
     
  16. pacref

    pacref Member

    Jun 8, 2000
    North Texas
    :rolleyes:
    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.
     
  17. MassachusettsRef

    MassachusettsRef Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 30, 2001
    Washington, DC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    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.
     
  18. oldmanreferee

    oldmanreferee Member

    Dec 28, 2005
    Mountain View, ca
    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
     
  19. bluedevils

    bluedevils Member

    Nov 17, 2002
    USA
    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.)?
     
  20. chrisrun

    chrisrun Member

    Jan 13, 2004
    Orlando, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm guessing it's the same test we talked about last month:

    http://ssbra.org/html/education/othe...s_E[1].pdf
     
  21. Englishref

    Englishref Member

    Jul 25, 2004
    London, England
    As I feared, Nelly Viennot did fail her fitness test - the sprint part FYI bluedevils.

    She wasn't alone though, 7 others joined her. No confirmation who else yet.
     
  22. IASocFan

    IASocFan Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 13, 2000
    IOWA
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  23. chrisrun

    chrisrun Member

    Jan 13, 2004
    Orlando, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  24. RushOnze

    RushOnze New Member

    May 16, 2001
    Colorado
    the fitness test is 6 x 40meters each one under 6.0 seconds if you miss one you get one more try, miss again you are out.
    then 150meters in 30 seconds, with 40 seconds recovery where you walk 50meters, you must do a minimum of 20 150 meter runs (basically 10 laps). Miss one you get a yellow card, miss a second you are done.
     
  25. Psychosis hsv

    Psychosis hsv Member

    Mar 30, 2006
    Club:
    FC Köln
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    thank God she failed
     

Share This Page