A top female referee has hit out at the sport’s sexist environment and claimed she was once told to tone down her looks after ‘attracting too much attention’.
Manuela Nicolosi, 45, has officiated more than 200 professional matches across men’s and women’s football during her career — and has even been named in Fortune Italia’s 50 Most Powerful Women.
Boasting an impressive CV, having officiated at both the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, she became the first Italian to referee a Women’s World Cup final in 2019 and was an assistant during Liverpool’s Super Cup victory over Chelsea that same year.
But her rise to the top has been anything but smooth sailing. According to Nicolosi, her appearance has proved a major obstacle in the ‘male-dominated world’ of football.
Asked in an interview with Quotidiano Sportivo last year whether her looks have given her an advantage as an official, she said: ‘No, on the contrary. All my superiors told me: you have to be less visible, you attract too much attention.
‘In France, one year I wasn’t promoted from Serie C to Serie B because I was too “visible”. I was on the verge of giving up. Technical errors or failed athletic tests are one thing. But having them stop me by telling me “you’re flashy” is a big deal.
A female ref says she was once told to tone down her looks after ‘attracting too much attention’
Manuela Nicolosi opened up on the challenges she has faced in football’s sexist environment
Boasting an impressive CV, she became the first Italian to referee a Women’s World Cup final and was an assistant during Liverpool ‘s Super Cup win over Chelsea in 2019 (second right)
‘I left Italy at 20 because I realised they didn’t want female referees. They let you reach a certain level, the regional one, and then they put a spoke in your wheels in every way.’
Nicolosi continued by opening up on a harrowing incident which continues to haunt her to this day.
‘I was refereeing in the Eccellenza league for Lazio and at the end of the match I barricaded myself in the locker room,’ she added. ‘The coaches and managers of a team were shouting at me “we’ll kill you, get out”. I called the police who escorted me out. I remember it as if it were yesterday.’
While admitting violence an abuse towards referees is a problem for both male and female officials, Nicolosi revealed that she has also been forced to navigate the issue of footballers making advances towards her.
Asked if she has ever been harassed, the referee said: ‘Yes, but I’d rather not talk about it. I never gave in, which is why it took me so long to make a career.”
‘It happened (players making advances), but I never gave in. I’m not the type who dreamed of getting engaged to a footballer.
‘On the pitch, whether I was facing (Kylian) Mbappe or (Mohamed) Salah, it was the same for me.’
Nicolosi referenced the Real Madrid and Liverpool forwards in general terms to illustrate that she would react to any footballer in the same way, irrespective of their star power — not suggesting either had made advances towards her.
Nicolosi revealed that footballers have made advances towards her throughout her career
Nicolosi has recently taken on a new role as an official for Kings League, a seven-a-side tournament first established in 2022 by former Barcelona star Gerard Pique
The Italian-French referee pictured with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in a post on Instagram
The Italian-French referee, who regularly delivers updates to her fans on Instagram, has recently taken on a new role as an official for Kings League, a seven-a-side tournament first established in 2022 by former Barcelona star Gerard Pique.
Promoting the tournament on social media, Nicolosi said on Monday: ‘New rules, new presidents but always the same engagement and excitement to be part of this amazing event as the only female ref.’
