Aodrenn Sourdin: A Young Female Football Referee Breaking Barriers in France

Par Hugo Murtas
Published on 12 Nov 23 at 9:02 See my news Follow News Rennes According to figures from the French Football Federation (FFF), 20,000 referees officiate in France, including 19,000 men for only 1,000 women.Among these female referees is Aodrenn Sourdin, 25 ans and originally from Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine). A former junior player and coach, the young woman now distributes the cards and believes she has found his way in the middle of a very masculine sport. Passion for football, defense of women’s refereeing, misogynistic insults on the field… News Rennes followed her during her training and a match to better understand her daily life as a referee.

The role of Stéphanie Frappart

Born in October 1998, the Breton experienced the Blues’ first World Cup title in her mother’s womb. “She often tells me that my love of football comes from there,” smiles the one who presents her family as “anti-football”, apart from her grandfather, a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. If Aodrenn also adores the Portuguese star, it t was Stéphanie Frappart, the first woman in history to referee a men’s World Cup match in 2022, who inspired her the most. It was she who made him want to put on the football referee outfit.

Stéphanie Frappart, the first woman in history to referee a men’s World Cup match in 2022, is a source of inspiration for Aodrenn. (©Wikimedia commons)“As with many other women, Stéphanie Frappart opened the way for methat’s a certainty,” smiles the one who is studying marketing while working on a work-study basis at the French Football Federation (FFF).

As a woman, she must try harder

After professional training to become a referee, Aodrenn joined the UNAFthe main referees’ union, before leading in 2019 his first amateur match. For the moment, she only arbitrates men’s matches. Videos: currently on News “Aodrenn started refereeing late because most start around 13-14 years old. But this is in no way a brake on his progress,” explains Sylvia Philion, professional referee. On the social networks, the Breton is called Madam Arbitrator and participates in the promotion of women’s refereeing and the deconstruction of certain clichés. His account is inactive to date but he still accumulates 15,000 subscribers.

I was told that I looked too feminine to be a referee. We saw with the networks that I was credible so they started to take me seriously. Audrey

Aodrenn prepares before the start of a match. (©Hugo Murtas / news Rennes) From the beginning, Aodrenn had to confront the first sexist and misogynistic remarks from some players. A bad memory for the young woman even if the players ultimately received a disciplinary sanction from the Ligue de Bretagne. “It’s even more complicated to gain respect when you’re a female referee and you’re smaller and younger than most of the players on the field. She has to redouble her efforts and it’s paying off,” she tells us. a young referee close to Aodrenn.

Training with men is an advantage

Aodrenn’s mentality and determination allow her to move on and pursue her dream. Feminine outfit, painted nails, neat hairstyle, makeup on her eyes… La Rennaise assume your feminine style to better stand out from others. She is also very organized and rigorous towards herself.

My goal is to go as far as possible. I am gaining more and more confidence in myself and I am gaining maturity. Audrey

To workouts, Aodrenn is the only woman in a group of 10 boys, also referees. A spirit of camaraderie reigns in the collective to the great pleasure of Aodrenn. “It’s motivating to compete with boys, I progress faster,” she smiles. Aodrenn checks the condition of the nets before each match. (©Hugo Murtas / news Rennes) It’s also a good way to refine your physical conditionessential for good refereeing. “Seen from the outside, it may be surprising but a referee runs as much as a player, see more. I cover the four corners of the field for 90 minutes so I can’t arrive out of breath for an action. Otherwise, I lose credibility and my decisions are less good,” she explains. In addition to physical training, Aodrenn regularly revises the theory which is summarized by the reminder of the rules of the game and its orientation on a field. More unusual exercise: the young woman explains to us that she must regularly “perfect your whistle”.

Offside, a gross foul or a throw-in are not whistled in the same way. A good whistle is the sign of a confident referee. Audrey

When it’s game time

To better understand the situation, we attended a match d’Aodrenn. More than an hour before the start of the match, Madame L’Arbitre arrives in street clothes. “You will never see me arriving in jogging pants. As a referee, the first impression you give to others is important.” Aodrenn Sourdin arrives in street clothes before the start of the match. (©Hugo Murtas / news Rennes)Suitcase in hand, where all her equipment is located, the young woman takes several jerseys, shorts, in addition to her red cards, notebook and tablet. “I have to think about lots of little things before the start of the match to be completely calm on the pitch,” she recalls. She then approaches the clubhouse where the two teams are already there. The coaches, players and club members are all men. Some looks are questioning. “Ah, are you the referee? “, asks one of them. With a firm voice, Aodrenn confirms and leaves for his locker room to get ready. Aodrenn’s equipment before the start of the match. (©Hugo Murtas / news Rennes) “People often come to talk to us before the match. Sometimes it’s very nice, sometimes it’s with the aim of influencing us. »

She is accompanied and observed

The day we attend the match, Aodrenn is refereeing a match at the Ille-et-Vilaine district level between two clubs from the Rennes area.The stakes are high because both teams absolutely must win. The pressure is also on the shoulders of Madame L’Arbitre since she is scrutinized by an observer from the UNAF and her referent, Sylvia Philion. A UNAF observer notes Aodrenn’s match. (©Hugo Murtas / news Rennes) The match begins. He’s rough and Aodrenn is running around. The entire match went generally well and there were many whistles. As is often the case, the two benches criticize certain decisions, but Aodrenn knows how to put them in their place, with professionalism. “Sir, I am the referee and you are the coach, not the other way around. » This is what is said. The match resumes. Aodrenn in the center of the field before the start of the match. (©Hugo Murtas / news Rennes)“His body language is very good”, comments the UNAF observer, who knows how difficult it is to manage these situations. A few sexist remarks come from the supporters, but Aodrenn is not concerned about them. “Sometimes I hear them, but I no longer pay attention to them otherwise I leave the match,” she explains.

The final whistle

The 90 minutes of play are over and Aodrenn blows the final whistle of the match. The two teams greet her and the young woman seems satisfied of her match, despite a few errors noted by the observer during a post-match debriefing. “She knows how to question herself, it’s one of her qualities,” explains someone close to the young woman. “We feel concerned about her and it’s positive for the future if she wants to become a professional,” confides the UNAF observer. Thanks to her work-study program at the FFF, Aodrenn was able to meet Stéphanie Frappart for the first time. A dream for this young referee who aspires to take on the same career. Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.

2023-11-12 08:40:09
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