Refereeing decisions are often disputed from international games to Sunday league football but in the women’s game, the quality is lacking.
From Maradona’s 1986 ‘hand of God’ goal to Sunday league scraps, in football, there is no one that suffers more abuse than the referee when controversial decisions are made.
Last week, footballers and fans alike voiced their complaints about the fact the Women’s Super League (WSL) has stood by and watched the continued poor officiating within the league.
This followed an outrageous decision made as Manchester United took on Reading. A penalty was awarded to the Royals late in the game after Katie Zelem was penalised for a hand ball.
Reading’s Fara Williams capitalised on the spot-kick and leveled the score, taking two points from the Red Devils.
People on Twitter were quick to criticise the referee’s call given it clearly bounced off of her head and not her hand.
This problem is not a modern phenomenon. Another decision went against Manchester United in the WSL. Back in November, Jack Packman, stepped into referee United versus Chelsea after two other refs dropped out last minute. He proceeded to award the Blues a controversial penalty that won them the game.
As the league is underfunded, expectations are low in the WSL, with former England right-back, Alex Scott, saying that fans have to forgive the mistakes when the top officials can’t be afforded to referee.
Referees in the top-flight of English men’s football can earn up to £70,000 per year. They are paid a basic yearly rate of between £38,500 and £42,000 based on experience, and then are paid £1,150 per match on top of that.
Whereas, WSL referees make under £4,000 a year, getting paid just £120 a game.
England’s highest-ranked female referee, Rebecca Welch, works for the NHS during the week in order to afford a job refereeing at the weekend.
With the quality of play improving, Alex Scott believes that the quality of referees also needs to improve. To do so, officials must be made fully professional and paid more.
Someone used to refereeing a men’s National League game is not necessarily up to officiating a WSL game with world-class female players.
It’s time to change the up the referees. It’s time to change up the game.
Have your say
What refereeing blunder do you dwell on the most? Leave a comment!
(Feature image: Reuters)
