LONDON: A British-Muslim woman of Somalian heritage has made history after being appointed as the country’s first female Muslim referee.
Named Jawahir Roble, 24, also known as JJ, was a refugee but has come a long way since war broke out in her country.
But with true passion and grit she has been rendering services as a Football Association-registered official for two seasons.
JJ, who started her career in sports when she was asked to referee in a local girls’ league as a teenager, aspires to judge Premiership and Champions League matches.
Sharing about the experience of refererigng for the first time, JJ said, 'When I first turned up to the match you could hear some boys just giggling, "No way she is the ref? No!"
“[But] they can see that I am the ref because I am wearing my full kit,” she continued.
Speaking about how being a Muslim girl and a referee are not contradictory, JJ asked, “Who said girls can't be a referee and be a Muslim?” adding that, “My religion, it is part of me, and I love it,' JJ said.
She wants to see herself as a professional referee in the years to come .
“In ten years' time I would like to see myself as a professional referee, refereeing in top leagues: Premier League, Champions league: there is [sic] no limits, I want to go all the way to the top.”