Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Herlin (25), an Indonesian woman from Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, has officially become a football referee after passing a test conducted by the International Football Association (FIFA) in Jakarta.
"Herlin passed the test and now holds a FIFA license to act as a football referee," Sudirman, general secretary of the West Sumatra branch of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), said here Tuesday.
She was the only woman among many men who took the referee test, Sudirman said.
The test was conducted to select Indonesians qualified to hold a FIFA license to referee football matches, he said, adding that the test comprised general knowledge of football rules, a physical and medical test.
The test was participated in by seven people who came from Aceh, North Sumatra, West Java, East Java, and West Sumatra, he said.
Herlin was scheduled to attend another advanced concentration training of referees endorsed by FIFA in Hong Kong.
The concentration training would also be participated in by referees from European and American countries who were being prepared to referee international football matches, he said.
Sudirman appreciated Herlin`s achievement that brought Indonesia and especially West Sumatra in the international football world.
Herlin`s achievement in holding the FIFA referee license had also contributed to forming a positive image of Indonesia in the football world, he said.
Sudirman hoped there would be more women referees in the future, especially from West Sumatra.
"It is very rare for a woman to participate in the football world. This will be a good step to boost Indonesia`s reputation in the world of football referees," Sudirman said.(*)
Source: http://www.antaranews.com