Shona Shukrula becomes first woman to referee men's professional matches
Shona Shukrula is the first woman with a referee license for men's professional soccer matches in the Netherlands.
The 32-year-old from Alkmaar will work toward her first match in the Keuken Kampioen Division, the second division of the Dutch professional league, in the coming season, the KNVB said Wednesday.
Shukrula, who has refereed official amateur matches for the KNVB since the 2009/2010 season, has been a fourth official in the first division and referee for top-level women's matches, including the Champions League, since 2020.
She said in a statement on the KNVB website that she is "incredibly proud" of her promotion. "I worked very hard for 15 years to get here," she said.
Shukrula said she has not had any negative experiences refereeing men's matches in the past. "I want to be judged well, on my skills," she said. "Criticism and feedback are part of that. They are inherent in top sports."
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