‘History Will Be Made’: Premier League Announces First-Ever Female Referee And First Black Referee In 15 Years
UK’s prestigious Premier League recently announced that it has appointed its first-ever female referee and the first black referee in 15 years, dubbing it as “historic”.
“History will be made in the Premier League this Christmas… Rebecca Welch will become the competition’s first woman referee and Sam Allison the first black official to take charge of a match for 15 years,” Premier League said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Both set to make history, the appointments are being regarded as major milestones when it comes to female and black representation in mainstream European football.
Last month, Welch marked the significant milestone in football history by becoming the first woman to serve as the fourth official at a Premier League match, during Manchester United’s victory at Fulham.
Welch has previously set records as the first woman to officiate an EFL and men’s FA Cup match.
Meanwhile, Allison is set to become the first Black official to referee a Premier League game in 15 years, when he takes charge of Sheffield United vs Luton on Boxing Day, following Uriah Rennie in 2008.
These milestones represent significant steps towards greater diversity and inclusion in the sport’s officiating ranks.
What do you make of these historic developments?
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