Women refereeing at the elite level has come a long way since Elisabeth Janseen van de Laak (NED) refereed two men’s water polo matches at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In Fukuoka on Monday, two of the eight women referees on the 2023 roster were put in charge of men’s matches, something that has seldom been done before.
From left: Nicola Johnson, Lee-Anne Keet, Allessia Ferrari, Jennifer McCall, Monica Brochero (TWPC Member), Helene Painchaud, Voula Kozompoli (TWPC Secretary), Marta Cabanas, Nora Debreceni, Natalie Markopoulou.
Canadian Marie-Claude Deslieres, who contested the first women Olympics in 2000 as an athlete and officiated at a further three Olympics Games, had the honour of refereeing men in 2011.
“I did it on a few occasions. I remember one in particular — Worlds 2011 in Shanghai — China-Japan. It was absolutely exciting with the place full of Chinese fans. I think the other one was Hungary-South Africa.”
Amber Drury (USA) controlled a match at the 2013 championships.
At the recent Olympic Games there were four women and one of them, Australia’s Nicola Johnson (Main picture) refereed Monday’s Montenegro-South Africa encounter while USA’s Jennifer McCall (Below) worked the earlier Argentina-Croatia match.
It is always an honour to be selected to referee any international water polo event and to be able to attend my first senior world championships and referee on day one of the women’s and men’s competition was fantastic.
Johnson summed it up thus: “I have refereed many high level men’s games in Australia including the men’s national league gold-medal match, but to referee a World Championship men’s game was a great experience, which I thoroughly enjoyed and hope that I will get more opportunities to do so.”
There are eight women referees in Fukuoka — Johnson, McCall, Marta Cabanas (ESP), Nora Debreceni (HUN), Natalia Markopoulou (GRE), Helene Painchaud (CAN), Alessia Ferrari (ITA) and Lee-Anne Stewart (RSA) —and two women delegates who are members of the World Aquatics Technical Water Polo Committee — 2004 Olympic silver medallist Voula Kozompoli (GRE) and Monica Brochero (ARG).
Ms Kozompoli said: “There are neither women nor men water polo referees. There are only water polo referees who according to their knowledge, skills, and expertise, are capable of officiating any water polo match."