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Italian
Per la prima volta in 111 anni di Rugby League professionistico in Australia, una donna arbitrerà una partita maschile di alto livello.
Belinda Sharpe entrerà nella storia come la prima donna arbitro della NRL e 246esima in totale.
Sharpe è stata guardalinee ufficiale nella NRL dal 2014 e lo scorso mese ha arbitrato lo State of Origin femminile.
Giovedì sera salirà di grado, augurandosi di essere la prima di molte arbitri donne nella NRL.
“It’s an opportunity to be involved in the game and it doesn’t matter if your male or female, there’s a pathway for both male’s and female’s and it’s exactly the same. I guess this shows that there’s an opportunity to make it to the top level and if that’s what you aspire to get to then you may want to be involved at the grassroots level, you may want to referee NRL but there’s an opportunity to be involved in the game at every level, regardless of your gender."
Il presidente della NRL, Graham Annesely, ha dichiarato che la nomina di Sharpe è assolutamente meritata.
“From my perspective this day was always going to happen. I was aware when I came into this job that it wasn’t far off and I’ve actively supported it. I’ve talked to Bernard Sutton about it over the entire time that I’ve been in this job since I was appointed late last year. We knew this day was coming and we had to make sure that it wasn’t a token appointment, Belinda had to earn her role and she has."
La 32enne accoglie positivamente il peso delle aspettative in vista della partita di giovedì sera.
“Look it’s certainly a high pressure environment there’s no doubt about that and you know we are obviously under a lot of scrutiny and under a lot of pressure every week. I think it’s important to remember to enjoy what we do you know it’s a great job, it’s a great career and I really enjoy everything that goes into being a referee, from the training and preparation during the week right up until the 80 minutes out on the field. It’s such a thrill to be out there and this week is certainly going to be another step up again you know being out in the middle for a 80 minutes in an NRL game is what every referee dreams of. So I’m certainly looking forward to that."
Sharpe si unisce ad un numero molto piccolo di donne arbitri incaricate di dirigere le partite delle leghe maggiori in Australia.
English
For the first time in 111 years of professional Rugby League in Australia, a female will referee a top flight men's fixture.
Belinda Sharpe will go down in history as the NRL's first female referee and the 246th overall.
Sharpe has been an NRL sideline official since 2014 and was in charge of the women's state of origin match last month.
On Thursday night, she steps up to the top grade and hopes to be the first of many female NRL referees.
“It’s an opportunity to be involved in the game and it doesn’t matter if your male or female, there’s a pathway for both male’s and female’s and it’s exactly the same. I guess this shows that there’s an opportunity to make it to the top level and if that’s what you aspire to get to then you may want to be involved at the grassroots level, you may want to referee NRL but there’s an opportunity to be involved in the game at every level, regardless of your gender."
NRL Head of Football Graham Annesely says Sharpe's appointment is well deserved.
“From my perspective this day was always going to happen. I was aware when I came into this job that it wasn’t far off and I’ve actively supported it. I’ve talked to Bernard Sutton about it over the entire time that I’ve been in this job since I was appointed late last year. We knew this day was coming and we had to make sure that it wasn’t a token appointment, Belinda had to earn her role and she has."
The 32-year-old is embracing the weight of expectation heading into Thursday night's match.
“Look it’s certainly a high pressure environment there’s no doubt about that and you know we are obviously under a lot of scrutiny and under a lot of pressure every week. I think it’s important to remember to enjoy what we do you know it’s a great job, it’s a great career and I really enjoy everything that goes into being a referee, from the training and preparation during the week right up until the 80 minutes out on the field. It’s such a thrill to be out there and this week is certainly going to be another step up again you know being out in the middle for a 80 minutes in an NRL game is what every referee dreams of. So I’m certainly looking forward to that."
Sharpe joins a very small number of female officials to take charge of major domestic sporting fixtures in Australia.
Report by Adrian Arciuli
