Sports

All-female on-field referee team to take charge at men’s tournament for first time

Published

2 years ago

November 30, 2022

editor

An all-female on-field refereeing team will take charge of a men’s World Cup game for the first time in Thursday’s group-stage game between Costa Rica and Germany.

Stephanie Frappart will be the first woman to referee at a men’s World Cup.

The Frenchwoman became the first female official at the tournament when she was named as the fourth official for Mexico and Poland’s game last Tuesday.

“We know the pressure,” Frappart told BBC Sport before the tournament.

“But I think we will not change ourselves. Be calm, focused, concentrate, and don’t think too much about the media and everything, just be focused on the field.”

Frappart will be joined by assistant referees, Brazil’s Neuza Back and Mexican Karen Diaz Medina, at Al Bayt Stadium on Thursday.

Asked if she ever has comments from players, managers or fans due to being a woman, Frappart said: “Since I started I was always supported by teams, clubs and players. I was always welcome in the stadium so I feel like another referee inside the pitch. I was always welcome, so I think I will be welcome as before.”

She became the first woman to referee a men’s Champions League game in 2020.

The 38-year-old was also the first woman to take charge of a match in a major men’s Uefa competition when Liverpool and Chelsea met in the 2019 European Super Cup.

Three women – Frappart, Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita – are among the 36 officials selected to take charge of games in Qatar.

(BBC Sport)

Sports

SL ranks 9th at U18 Asian Youth Athletics C’ships

Published

15 hours ago

April 19, 2025

editor

Sri Lanka won another silver medal in the U18 Asian Youth Athletics Championships held in Saudi Arabia, this time in the women’s mixed relay event.

The Sri Lankan athletes clocked 2:14.25 minutes, setting a Sri Lankan youth record.

China claimed the gold medal with a time of 2:11:11 minutes, while Thailand won the bronze with a time of 2:15:00 minutes.

The four-day competition, organized by the Asian Athletics Federation, concluded yesterday (April 18) in Qatif.

Sri Lanka finished 9th in the overall medal standings, with a total of eight medals — one gold, three silver, and four bronze. It was also one of only 19 countries to win at least one medal.

China topped the overall medal standings with 19 gold, 12 silver and 5 bronze medals while Japan came in second with 3 gold, 3 silver and one bronze medal.

Host Saudi Arabia came in third place with 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals.

Sports

Dasun Shanaka gets IPL call up

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2025

editor

Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka has received a call-up to join the Gujarat Titans in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, replacing the injured Glenn Phillips.

The Gujarat Titans, captained by Shubman Gill, have signed Shanaka for INR 7.5 million (over LKR 25 million).

Shanaka has played only one season of the IPL so far, when he got three games for GT, scored only 26 runs and didn’t get to bowl at all two seasons ago.

Phillips had picked up a groin injury while fielding against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad just over ten days ago, and was later ruled out of the tournament to head back home to New Zealand.

Sports

SL U-19 squad for Youth ODIs, named

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2025

editor

Sri Lanka Cricket’s Junior Selection Committee has named a 15-member squad for the first two Youth One Day Internationals (ODIs) against the touring Bangladesh Under-19 team.

The matches will be held from April 24 – May 08.