• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Thursday, July 24, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Reading Pride seeking donations amid funding shortfall

    Crested Development: RABBLE completes development stage of upcoming William The Conqueror

    Reading FC partners with Village Hotel Club

    Plan ahead for Twyford rail closure

    Ciphr wins Tech Employer of the Year at the Thames Valley Tech and Innovation Awards

    PRIDE OF READING AWARDS: Claire has helped others to feel better in their bodies

    PRIDE OF READING AWARDS: Claire has helped others to feel better in their bodies

    Mercury-nominated John Bramwell coming to Face Bar in September

    Mayor and MP Matt Rodda attend Lets Celebrate Towns Awards

    Ofwat set to be abolished, Environment Secretary announces

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Reading FC confirm new signing as midfielder joins on permanent deal

    Former Reading FC loanee joins rivals

    Reading FC sign German attacker on permanent deal

    Reading and Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon set for Q&A at Purple Turtle

    Ex-Reading star Ejaria on trial with former Royals manager

    League One side set to win race for former Reading FC young star

    Reading FC opinion: Where are the goals coming from this season?

    Reading FC midfielder Knibbs linked with Championship move

    Reading FC forward Ehibhatiomhan features in friendly despite unresolved future

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Sport

FROM THE MIDDLE: Referees at the 2022 Qatar World Cup

Guest Contributor by Guest Contributor
Sunday, December 11, 2022 6:01 am
in Sport
A A
Football referee Picture: Pixabay

Football referee Picture: Pixabay

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

At the beginning of the FIFA World Cup, I was asked a couple of questions. The first one was ‘are there any English referees involved?’

The answer to that is easy, we had two selected for the finals, the Premier League’s numbers one and two, Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor. Out of the 36 referees, we were one of only three countries to have two male referees at Qatar.

I say this because of the welcome selection of three female referees. Stephanie Frappart, a French referee who has been on the international list since 2009, and was the first woman to referee a men’s Champions League match.

Salma Mukansanga of Rwanda, the first woman to referee at the African Cup of Nations, and Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan who refereed at the 2019 Woman’s World Cup and 2020 Olympic Games. All well proven referees.

There were also three women assistant referees selected. I think it a pity that Sian Massey-Ellis isn’t amongst them as she in my opinion is the best assistant referee in the Premier League.

The selection of these referees would have started about three years ago. The world of football is split into a number of governable bodies such as UEFA, who put forward nominees to be considered.

Related posts

Why are there so few referees from diverse backgrounds?

FROM THE MIDDLE: Mike Dean’s VAR tale

FROM THE MIDDLE: Why all the yellow cards?

FROM THE MIDDLE: Women’s World Cup brings welcome to new season

This was around 50 referees plus assistant referees. These were watched by FIFA assessors over time and probably given some FIFA matches to referee. There have get-togethers for discussions, training, more assessment. Important things of course are fitness, knowledge, and application of the Laws.

One of the important criteria for the World Cup is that they work to the same approved interpretation of those laws. Gradually the numbers came down to those required for the finals. 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 VARs.

There was another change this year, in that the list was announced six months in advance of the finals, rather than just before the tournament. The idea of Pierluigi Collina, FIFA Head of Refereeing, is that this would enthuse those selected, to commit and push themselves to be on top form.

I don’t know if they did it this year but at other finals, they have been subject to three tests on arrival. Fitness, Laws of the Game, and their English, as English is the universal language of football. Fail any and they were sent straight back home.

At the World Cup finals, the referees are selected by the FIFA Referees Committee and among other considerations, they have to make sure there can be no conflicts of interest.

By Dick Sawdon Smith

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: football columnfootball referee columnfrom the middlefrom the middle columnreferee columnworld cupworld cup 2022world cup referees
Previous Post

CHURCH NOTES: Cabbages and kings

Next Post

Lung-ly this Christmas: Third Lung releases festive single in aid of Launchpad

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • 47-year-old woman arrested after two pedestrians die in road traffic collision in Caversham

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll joins new club in England after leaving France

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Masked men armed with weapons rob store in Reading

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • League One side set to win race for former Reading FC young star

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC forward given ultimatum over future at the club

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.