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Monday, 24 September, 2001, 15:01 GMT 16:01 UK
Move to get female refs 'on side'
Wendy Toms
Wendy Toms was the first female official in the Premiership
The Scottish Football Association has kicked off a recruitment drive to attract more female referees.

The SFA said that, with more women going to games, more should be involved in matches at top level.

Training courses are being held in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Paisley in the hope that more female officials will sign up.

The SFA has about 2,500 male referees and about 40 women officials but only one female officiating at senior level.

Maureen McMonigle
Maureen McMonigle: Positive role models
SFA head of refereeing development, Donald McVicar, is hoping that Scotland can add more female officials to its list.

Morag Pirie, 27, from Aberdeen is the only woman among the SFA's senior referees.

"There are more and more female football fans going to games and we would like to encourage as many women as possible to take an active role in officiating matches," said Mr McVicar.

"Female officials have made an impact on the international stage in recent years and Nelly Viennot, who is due to run the line for Celtic's Champions League game against Porto, is a very positive role model."

Maureen McMonigle, of the Scottish Women's Football Association, said: "Its very diffcult for a woman in a man's world and it's hard enough for women to play football, never mind to be on the park refereeing.

"Using female role models, which they have quite a few of, will let girls know that they can go into refereeing and it is a career for them."

In England, Wendy Toms became the first female referee's assistant to officiate in the Premiership.

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 ON THIS STORY
News image Elizabeth Quigley reports
"When it comes to refereeing, women are rarely seen"
See also:

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