- Title: First female referee to officiate Super Cup not afraid of intense spotlight
- Date: 13th August 2019
- Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (AUGUST 13, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) REFEREE, STEPHANIE FRAPPART, SAYING: "To answer to your question of course my life changed because I'm more popular now in all the world. I was also appointed in the first league (Ligue 1) in France so I know the feeling, I know the strategy and I know also my emotions so I know how to keep it and I know also how I trained for that so this is not (a) first appointment for me so I know really the meaning of that." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASSISTANT REFEREE, MANUELA NICOLOSI , SAYING: "And the emotions; I mean when you are well trained, well prepared and you're focused on the game then when the game starts it's a game so the emotions stay where they have to stay." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASSISTANT REFEREE, MICHELLE O'NEILL, SAYING: "When I came back to Ireland I'm also one of the first Irish officials, man or woman to be in a World Cup final so I already know how to react to all the different emotions and to be able to train and focus because that's what we do every day. So we're able to focus and keep our mind on the task in the hand which is the two teams out there tomorrow. But in personal life it's pretty, pretty nice. You have young girls, young kids and to be inspired that you're leading the way and opening the doors and open a pathway for these little kids coming so that's pretty special." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UEFA REFEREES COMMITTEE, ROBERTO ROSETTI, SAYING: "And the reason of that is because they are good. They are good, they are prepared, they are ready, they are strong; technically, physically. A few days ago she - Stephanie - she passed the men's fitness test with the elite referees, she ran a lot. Mentally she's strong and this is the main reason. Then if... I hope that she will inspire thousands and thousands of young women referees all over the world then of course UEFA would be, would be very happy about that." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOURTH OFFICIAL, CUNEYT CAKIR, SAYING: "When we go to the field of play, they (the players) call us referee. Not the woman referee or man referee. Two weeks ago we were in Zagreb, we did our preparation camp in the leadership of Roberto Rosetti and his team. We did the same preparation, we did the same fitness test, we did the same laws of the game test, we did the same training sessions. There is no difference. When we go to the field there is no gender." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOURTH OFFICIAL, CUNEYT CAKIR, SAYING: "They (the three female match officials) are really brave. They have courage. They don't hesitate to give unpopular decisions. You will see tomorrow, you will see tomorrow. Believe me." EXTERIOR OF BESIKTAS PARK - THE VENUE FOR THE SUPER CUP PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE THE STADIUM FLAGS OUTSIDE STADIUM VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF STADIUM LIVERPOOL AND CHELSEA BADGES ON SCREEN LIVERPOOL BADGE AND BANNERS ON EXTERIOR OF STADIUM CHELSEA BADGE ON EXTERIOR OF STADIUM LIVERPOOL BADGE ON EXTERIOR OF STADIUM
- Embargoed: 27th August 2019 14:35
- Keywords: UEFA Super Cup Liverpool Chelsea Frappart female official Stephanie Frappart
- Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY / VARIOUS, FRANCE
- City: ISTANBUL, TURKEY / VARIOUS, FRANCE
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA005AS1XB9B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Stephanie Frappart said she will prove that female officials are as competent as their male counterparts when she becomes the first woman to referee a major UEFA competition final when Liverpool face Chelsea in the Super Cup on Wednesday (August 14).
Frappart, 35, will be assisted by her French compatriot Manuela Nicolosi and Ireland's Michelle O'Neill.
The trio have worked together at bigger matches - they were in charge of this year's women's World Cup final in France - but there is no doubt they will be under intense focus at Istanbul's Besiktas Park.
Asked if she was afraid of being "double criticised" for any mistakes made, Frappart said it was time for female referees to show they are as good as the men.
"We have to prove ourselves technically and physically that we are the same as the men. We are not afraid about (wrong decisions). We are ready," she told a news conference.
Frappart, who in April became the first female referee in France's Ligue 1, also dismissed the idea that it was more difficult to officiate a men's game.
"I think there is not a lot difference because football is the same. It's the same rules so I will do the same as the women's game," she added.
The Super Cup is an annual match played between the winners of the Champions League and the Europa League. Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final last season while Chelsea defeated Arsenal in the Europa League final.
Fourth official and Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir supported the trio, saying: "They are brave, they have courage, they don't hesitate to give unpopular decisions - you will see tomorrow."
(Production: Mehmet Caliskan, Yusuf Gezer, Tim Hart) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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