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The year is coming to an end. Looking back: what was your sporting highlight in 2023?
Esther Staubli: Actually, the whole year was one big highlight. There was the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, there was the semi-final in the Champions League Barcelona against Chelsea at the end of April in front of more than 70,000 spectators, but there were also many exciting matches in the Super League in Switzerland. The same applies to us referees as to the players: the basis is always the national championship, where you have to prove yourself every week.
And in mid-November there was the European Championship qualifier between Azerbaijan and Sweden. You were the first Swiss woman to referee a men’s continental elimination match. What meaning has this nomination had for you?
Above all, it was a sign of great appreciation and respect. I have to say I was probably most surprised by the line-up. I didn’t expect to be nominated for a competition in this competition.
How difficult is it as a woman to officiate a men’s match?
Less difficult than many people think. We are often still stuck in prejudices. I am judged by the players based on my performance – and not on my gender. And I feel a lot of respect there. It doesn’t matter to me whether I officiate a women’s match or a men’s match. I’m fully focused on my performance – and on the game. There is no room to think about who is on the field.
But it probably makes a difference whether they play in front of 70,000 spectators in Barcelona – or a fraction of that in the Swiss championship.
Not necessary. When I referee a match, I concentrate completely on what is happening. I hide the area. As a referee you must always be one step ahead of the action. You have to anticipate the movements and development. Many things happen before the ball arrives. My past as a player certainly comes in handy. I know how football players think and act.
Were you an honest player?
(laughs) I wasn’t dishonest. But I would describe myself as a tough player. I found my game through physicality and fighting. I started as a striker. At the end of my career I played as a defender.
In the late 1990s she was employed by Rot-Schwarz Thun. Can women’s football in Switzerland then still be compared to now?
Hardly. We played on adjacent fields – and always had the same twenty spectators. Even as a girl I always loved to play football – and also played small tournaments with the boys. When I wanted to start at the club at the age of 16, I had to knock on the club’s door myself and ask if I could become a member. Nowadays everything is much better organized and structured. A key factor was certainly the entry of the big clubs into women’s football. A professional infrastructure is now also available for women. Emotionally it makes a big difference whether you play on a training pitch – or in a Super League stadium.
Why and when did you decide to become a referee?
That was in the year 2000. I was included in the National League A team in Rot-Schwarz Thun and felt that my limits had been reached. But football remained my great passion and so I looked for a way to continue experiencing it. When Red-Black was looking for referees, I contacted them.
Did you think you would ever make it to the World Cup in Australia?
(laughs) No. But this does not suit my nature either, neither in football nor in my work. I’ll do it step by step. And so I work my way up step by step.
In addition to your work as a referee, you also work as a teacher at an agricultural school. Do you always find it easy to combine these jobs?
At school I guide young people with learning difficulties, albeit to a more limited extent. I am also involved in the training of young female referees at the Swiss Football Association. I don’t have much free time.
Wouldn’t it make more sense if referees in football were professionalized?
For me personally, it is true as it is. I find the balance that work offers me important. But certain things would certainly be easier – we would have more freedom and better relaxation. But it’s not about the money for me. My focus is on passion and fun for football.
What are your next goals?
At 44, I am in the autumn of my career. But I still have a big goal. I would like to participate in the 2025 European Championships in Switzerland
A referee is used. This will be a big event for women’s football in Switzerland – and it would be great if we could seize this opportunity and make the tournament a lasting success: for the players, but also for the referees.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
