‘Refereeing is expecting the unexpected’

Two match officials living in the same house, whistling both male’s matches in Swiss leagues. But who’s the best referee?

“We don’t compete, we discuss and he gives me advice for improving”, says Simona Ghisletta about her relationship with Roberto Ferrari, who was a top referee in Super League in Switzerland since 2001. “Because of his work he had to stop on high level and now he officiates in regional league. I’m referee in the third league so he can give me a lot of advices.”

“He also knows that being a women is different from being a men; I have my way to officiate. At home when we watch a game on tv we discuss a lot about the manner of the referee or if he could do this or that thing … it’s a manner of learning.”

Ghisletta has recently been promoted form Third to Second Group in Uefa’s international refereeing list. Next week she’s also appointed for the finals of Women’s European Championship under 17. “I heard my promotion from my association. I know that I did very good this year, so I expected something.”

The referee career of the 35-year-old referee from Switzerland began in 2003. “I was a player but I had many injuries so my boyfriend told me about refereeing and I started. For me it was something strange, but I liked it from the beginning.”

She’s been refereeing for eight years now and always needs to find time to combine it with her job. “I work fulltime as psychologist in a secondary school with children who have difficulties by learning and socializing. In my country I have a game each weekend, so I don’t have problems with my work. It’s more difficult with the internationals games or tounaments, because when I stay for one week or more I have to look for a substitute in school, and also prepare the work for the children. So, I have more stress with work than with officiating.”

“In my country I only officiate male games; they play much faster and are more physical. They respect me and my decisions, but I must be stronger. With females the play it’s maybe more tecnical but less fast, so you risk to loose the concentration because everytime something can happen and you have to expect the unexpected. I think a game isn’t easy or difficult, each game is always different.”

“This season I finished to officiate at the end of may and I had a break until the end of June. Only one month, and than we had a test with our association and also a lot of friendly matches. I like do a lot of sport, so I run three to four times pro week. I think the physical training it’s very important, it’s like a support for the mental part.”

Read also: ‘My first tournament is going to be fantastic’ about Ghisletta’s expectations of the u17 European Championship.