Life as a top female referee

女性顶级裁判的生活

The Conversation

2025-10-27

26 分钟
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Datshiane Navanayagam talks to an ice hockey referee from Austria and a football referee from Denmark about their experiences as female officials in men's leagues. Austrian Julia Kainberger played ice hockey professionally for the Salzburg Eagles while also pursuing a career in officiating. She was one of the 12 European officials for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and, in 2024, became the first female referee in a men's Champions League game. Julia looks forward to a day where no female referee has to be 'the first one' anymore and it becomes the norm. Frida Klarlund is a Danish football referee who has officiated international matches since 2015.  In 2021 she became the first woman to referee in the men’s second division. Frida has refereed at major tournaments such as the Women’s Champions League, World Cup qualifiers and the Women's Euros. She currently works in Denmark’s top women’s league. Produced by Emily Naylor (Image: (L) Julia Kainberger courtesy Julia Kainberger. (R) Frida Klarlund credit UEFA.)
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  • Do you ever find yourself screaming at the decisions made during a sports match?

  • Well, if you're a big sports fan,

  • you'll know just how high tensions can get in the middle of a game.

  • And at the heart of all of that intense emotion are the referees calling the shots.

  • I'm Dashiani Navaniagam and welcome to The Conversation from the BBC World Service.

  • This is the programme which puts women in the spotlight and allows us to hear the most marvellous stories and insights from women around the world.

  • Today we go behind the officiating scenes of the sports world to talk to two female referees operating at some of the highest levels of women and men's sports.

  • I'm joined by Danish football referee Frida Klarland.

  • who has refereed at the Women's Champions League, World Cup qualifiers,

  • Women's Euros and in 2021 became the first woman to referee in the men's second division.

  • And Austrian ice hockey referee Julia Kainberger.

  • She was one of the 12 European officials for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics,

  • as well as the first ever female referee in the Men's Champions Hockey League.

  • Frieda and Julia, welcome to the program.

  • Thank you.

  • Is your refereeing personality similar to your actual personality?

  • Does it change between different matches, Frida?

  • Yes, it does.

  • It also changes between the decisions as well.

  • Because if we have a promising attack, it's just a clear yellow card, no problem.