2022 is almost over and with that, we’d like to look back at the year that has passed and highlight some of the top moments in women’s sport. Up until New Year’s Eve, we will be sharing some of our favourite performances, campaigns and stories from women’s sport in 2022.
To kick off the 2022 roundup, we are highlighting some historic events in female refereeing that took place this year.
During the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a trio of women became the first all-female referee team in a men’s World Cup match. France’s Stéphanie Frappart, Brazil’s Neuza Back and Mexico’s Karen Diaz officiated the group E game between Costa Rica and Germany at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar on 1 December. Frappart, who was the lead referee, had already made history the week before when she became the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match in the tournament's 92-year history!
The historic moment took place about 5 months after Scotland’s Hollie Davidson became the first woman to referee a Tier 1 test match in men’s rugby, where she officiated the game against Italy and Portugal on 25 June 2022. This game was also officiated by an all-female team, as Davidson was joined by England’s Sara Cox and Claire Hodnett (TMO), as well as France’s Aurélie Groizeleau.
This year has certainly been a good one for female referees, with these historic moments serving as proof that gender equality is advancing in sports. We can’t wait to see what next year brings to the table, as there is still much more progress that can be made.
Head over to our Instagram to let us know your favourite female sporting moments from this year!
