a quartet of female referees for Guinea-Zimbabwe, a first

Rwanda’s Salima Rhadia Mukansanga will become the first woman to referee a Guinea-Zimbabwe African Cup of Nations (CAN) match on Tuesday (January 18th) in Yaoundé, CAF announced. Cameroonian Carine Atemzabong and Moroccan Fatiha Jermoumi will assist Mukansanga, and the video referee will be Moroccan Bouchra Karboubi. “This is the first time that an all-female team will referee a CAN match”, said the Confederation of African Football in a press release.

The 35-year-old Rwandan referee had already been the first female fourth referee of a CAN, Guinea-Malawi match in Bafoussam. “We are extremely proud of Salima as she has worked hard to be where she is today. We know she had to overcome some serious hurdles to reach this level and she deserves credit. This moment is not just for Salima, but for every young girl in Africa who has a passion for football and sees herself as a referee in the future.” says Eddy Maillet, director of referees at CAF. The one who was destined for basketball had to review her career plan.

“I loved basketball and wanted to take it very seriously, but access to basketball facilities and coaches was difficult. That’s how I ended up refereeing, which I don’t I’ve never regretted it.”

Salima Mukansanga, referee

at AFP

Salima Rhadia Mukansanga was also among the field referees of the Olympic tournament at the Tokyo Games this summer.