By Uche Dozie
Sport Writer,kick442.com-Nigeria
The 34th Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon will have the first female referee. She is Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda. She is set to become the first woman ever to officiate as a center referee at the Africa Cup of Nations when the tournament kicks off this Sunday in Cameroon.
The 33-year-old will be settling things at the centre of the field and controlling proceedings in a man’s tournament.
Mukansanga is no small fry that’s why she is changing the norm and making history just as she knows how to do it best. 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, 2019 Women’s world cup in France, 2018 female under 17 World Cup, Under 23 Olympic qualifier are worthy of mention of her great exploits.
In Africa, the inaugural edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League, Africa Women’s Nations Cup, Rwandan League matches amongst others lends credence to her class.
As a teenager, Salima Mukansanga considered becoming a professional basketball player. But about 15 years ago, she decided to become a football referee and since 2018, she has been appointed for matches in the 1st Rwandan men’s division as well as international matches.
She is likened to one of the greatest referees Pierluigi Collina in women’s international football found as she has the same calm regal presence on the field as that of the Italian.
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