Football fans can be truly barbaric, without any reference to the fringes of the worst ultras and their criminal behavior, even in the minor suburban leagues they meet characters who incite violence by threatening match officials and players of the opposing team.
The pleasure of dominating and silencing the referee acquires an added value when it comes to a female professional, unfortunately there is no shortage of reports of bad episodes that sometimes force women to abandon arbitration.
There is however one Iranian woman, Sanam Shirvani Ilkhanlar, who experiences arbitrage as a moment of freedom. He loves football, but has never been able to practice it in his country because it is forbidden to women. Having arrived in Italy – where she practices the profession of architect – she became a FIGC referee in the amateur championships.
Sanam Shirvani Ilkhanlar he enforces himself with a card and has done the whistle the symbol of freedom against oppressive regimes. A round of applause goes to the Turin team that welcomed it with a banner: “Woman, life, freedom and… football!”. At the event Champions of the heart Sanam Shirvani Ilkhanlar he received an award for his efforts.
Staying on the football theme, I would like to recall when Gaucci, then president of Perugia, in 2003 launched the provocation of having two women play in the sanctuary of men’s football (after all, there were no rules forbidding it); among these was the very strong Swedish top scorer Victoria Svensson.
The players rejected the proposal, aware of the obvious physical disadvantage, but the provocation brought to light a reality that was unknown in Italy, even women knew how to kick the ball! Sure, the unisex championship was a utopia, but then the idea alone was able to shake up the system and, twenty years later, finally even the girls who play in the major leagues can aspire to an engagement as professionals.
In terms of unisex matches we cannot forget what happened fifty years ago: the tennis player Billie Jean King won an epic clash with colleague Bobby Riggs (winner of Wimbledon and two US open at the time).
Neither before nor after her any woman managed to achieve the same success, not even the powerful Serena Williams. A film with Emma Stone, the battle of the sexes, makes us relive that incredible encounter.
Billie Jean King in the 70s was actively involved in defending women’s rights in her sport, he obtained that the compensation for the winners of the US Open was equal to that of men and yes he fought against Bobby Riggs – a well-known chauvinist braggart – to make up for the wrongs he had suffered years earlier.
For example, they hadn’t allowed her to pose for an official photo as she was wearing shorts and not the skirt expected for women. Furthermore, since her debut, she had found herself fighting against her prejudices, her first tennis instructor had told her: “You will be successful because you are good and ugly”.
These humiliations instilled in her the desire for revenge which culminated in the declaration of her homosexuality. In 2018 Adidas produced shoes with King’s name to commemorate her historic victory (which took place in three straight sets). Needless to say, they were snapped up within minutes. Her biography tells the whole long journey.
Moral strength and passion is what distinguishes the twenty-three year old from Bergamo Sara Del Fabbro who obtained the title of first Italian jockey to win 4 races in a few hours. He not only set a record, but he did it by running with a plate and six screws in the body and a broken collarbone.
Since she was a little girl Sara has cultivated a love for horses and for this sport, perfecting herself at the British Racing school. Horse magazine reminds us of his successes.
Along with the faithful horse beautiful Cindy challenge the men and beat them… in a hurry!
Four small examples among hundreds of exceptional stories of women who have established themselves by climbing a steeper mountain than necessary. Come on girls!