Historic Moment: Female Referee to Officiate at Asian Cup
Yoshimi Yamashita, a World Cup referee, is set to make history once again as she returns to Qatar for the men’s Asian Cup in January. This achievement follows her previous role as an official at the men’s World Cup in the same country last year.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced the selection of five female match officials, including two referees, for the upcoming tournament scheduled from January 12 to February 10. This marks a groundbreaking moment as it is the first time that the AFC has appointed female officials for its prestigious men’s event.
Among the chosen referees, Katherine Jacewicz from Australia will join Yoshimi Yamashita in officiating matches. The team of assistant referees includes Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi from Japan, as well as Kim Kyoung Min from South Korea.
The 24-team Asian Cup will utilize the same stadiums that hosted the men’s World Cup. During the World Cup, Yamashita served as the fourth official for six group-stage matches. She was one of three female referees selected by FIFA for the men’s World Cup. Stephanie Frappert from France also made history by officiating the Germany-Costa Rica game in the group stage.
Yamashita’s journey of breaking barriers extends beyond international tournaments. In April, she led the first all-female team of match officials in a game in Japan’s top league, the J-League.
In an exciting development, the AFC has announced that the video review system will be implemented throughout the entire tournament for the first time. This technology was introduced during the quarterfinal stage of the 2019 Asian Cup.
Re-reported from the article originally published in The Indian Express
