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Anastasia first Russian Woman referee to officiate men's match

 

Moscow: A woman referee will preside over a men's reserve game between CSKA Moscow and Lokomotiv Moscow, in what is believed to be the first instance of its kind in Russia, the Russian Football Union said.

Anastasia Pustovoitova, a FIFA-certified referee who has officiated women's international matches, will take charge of the game Friday. She previously said she was against the idea.

The federation said its plan was for women to eventually referee Russian Premier League games.

"If everything turns out successfully for them, then we can advance women to the top flight," said Roberto Rosetti, head of refereeing at the Russian Football Union.

In February 2011, Pustovoitova had said she disagreed with women refereeing men's matches.

"I view it very skeptically. My opinion is that only male referees should work in Russian men's football. The speed is different there and the psychology is completely different. Yes, and there are plenty of male referees, so let it stay as it is," she told the Football Segodnya website.

Pustovoitova is best known for refereeing the final of the 2010 women's under-17 European Championships, and was named Russia's top woman official that year.

In Britain, Amy Fearn became the first woman to take charge of a men's Football League game when she replaced an injured referee in a Championship clash between Coventry City and Nottingham Forest in 2010. (IANS)