Liberia
get women referee
By Ledgerhood Rennie
BBC Sport, Monrovia
Ophelia Doeway is Liberia's first woman
referee
( 4/09/2004 Monrovia) -At
first glance Ophelia Doeway, Liberia's first-ever female national
referee, may not strike you as the best person to send on to a
football pitch to be an official.
But when she does take charge and blows her
whistle, your views may well change very quickly.
The diminutive Doeway may only be 23 years old but she
has already been a referee for five years, having begun her career at
the sub-associational level of Liberian football.
"This is actually where things are most difficult since
most of the players and spectators in these lower divisions' are
ignorant of the laws of the game" she told BBC Sport.
She said that although she never dreamt of being
appointed by Liberia's National Referee Association as an official she
is not at all frightened by the dominance of men on the pitch or the
pressure from victory-hungry supporters.
"I don't find it difficult at all because there are always
going to be problems in anything that you try to do," she said.
"I've made some mistakes but I have not allowed them to
affect my game, as long as I know I'm trying to do the right thing I
am happy."
Initially, her family, especially her mother, did
not want her to be a football referee because they were afraid she
maybe physically attacked by angry supporters or even players.
"They all appreciate my role, especially now that I
have been promoted to the rank of national referee," she said.
Doeway has already officiated several games in
Liberia's National League Championship and now has set her sights on
becoming a Fifa recognised referee and is looking forward to the day
when she gets an international assignment.
Chief referee Idrissa Kabbah says Doeway is good and
with time she will improve.
"I see her achieving her goals in refereeing and we will give
her the chance to mature," he said.
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