BELFAST (Kashmir English): Transgender referee Sapir Berman made history on Monday (March 17) by officiating an international football match as part of the efforts to advance the cause of the Transgender community.
The 30-year-old officiated the Women’s Under-17 Euro qualifier between Montenegro and Northern Ireland in Belfast in a landmark moment approached with “immense pride” and “deep humility”.
According to UEFA, it was a first for European football. “It’s an overwhelming feeling — immense pride, indescribable excitement — but more than anything, it’s an opportunity to continue doing what I love, in the world that shaped me and where I grew up,” Sapir Berman said in a statement.
She has been refereeing for the past 14 years. The veteran said, “I step into this moment with deep humility and excitement, hoping to do my very best, to represent my country, to stand for my sisters in the transgender community, and to show that every dream is possible.”
She termed the moment a breakthrough that is also deeply symbolic for the teenage girls who will be playing this week.
“When young players see diversity on the field, it helps make inclusion normal, and it sends a strong message that what matters is talent and commitment,” the transgender referee added.
In 2018, England’s Lucy Clark took charge of a match in the semi-professional English league to become the first transgender woman in the world to officiate a match, but has never officiated internationally. Berman has been refereeing matches for 14 years.
Transgender athletes
Since 2021, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allowed federations to establish their criteria to avoid potential “disproportionate advantages” for transgender athletes.
It is worth mentioning that World Rugby has excluded transgender players from women’s competitions due to the “excessive risk of injury” in the contact sport.
The International Shooting Federation, meanwhile, has held that there was “no advantage” linked to male hormones in competitions.
