Israeli referee Sapir Berman beamed as she recalled the moment her “dream came true” earlier this year, when she became the first transgender woman to officiate an international football match.
“I always wanted to be a woman, and I always wanted to be a football referee — and then those two came together and fused into one dream that just exploded with joy,” the 31-year-old told AFP.
“It’s an uplifting, powerful feeling — the feeling that I’m doing the right thing, that I’m choosing myself, that I’m showing the world it’s possible.
“Since I was five, I remember wanting to be a woman, wanting to be a girl. And when I started playing football, I realised that the dream of being a woman and playing football didn’t go together,” she said.
“So I decided to hide who I was and just keep playing football. I hid myself for almost 26 years.”
Berman grew up in a football-loving family, playing as a defender for around 10 years from around the age of five.
When she realised her professional ambitions were not working out, she joined the referees association and worked her way up to preside over men’s matches in the Israeli Premier League.
But all the while, Berman felt she was hiding her innermost secret and was even frustrated during the initial stage of her hormone therapy.
It was when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and Berman was plunged into lockdown that she began reflecting on the future.
“I asked myself: ‘Is this what life will look like? Is this where it’s going?’” she said.
“I decided to reveal myself.”
Berman initially feared her career in football was over, but said her brother suggested she try to make it work.
– ‘A lot of questions’ –
England’s Lucy Clark became the first transgender woman in the world to referee a match in 2018, in the third tier of English women’s football, but has never officiated internationally.
When Berman officiated the Women’s Under-17 Euro qualifier between Northern Ireland and Montenegro in Belfast in March, it was a first for European football, according to UEFA.
Berman said the journey was not always easy, despite great support and professionalism from Israel’s referees association.
“There were a lot of questions, and a lot of moments where they said: ‘We don’t know what to do.’ And I also didn’t know what to do, what it involved, what to expect, or how the process would go,” she said.
Berman said that when she began hormone therapy as part of her transition, she initially felt resentful towards her body.
“Outside the field, I felt amazing. On the field, I felt that I destroyed my career,” she said.
She failed two fitness tests and was moved down a league, but with the help of a sports psychologist and “a lot of trial and error”, she made her comeback.
Berman received her international badge earlier this year and dreams of refereeing a match in the Champions League, the European Championship or the World Cup.
– ‘Different layers’ –
Transgender participation has become a hot-button issue as different sports try to balance inclusivity with ensuring fair competition.
Earlier this year, England’s Football Association announced that transgender women would no longer be allowed to play in women’s football.
Berman said she trusted those in decision-making bodies and expected them to “find the way to integrate, to unite, to diversify”.
“Human beings are made up of so many different layers, and you come and reject us for just one reason,” she said, explaining how an athlete’s performance could also be affected by mental, financial, geographical or familial factors.
On the pitch, Berman said she has received positive reactions from both players and supporters.
“The fans continued to curse me — only now, they did it in the feminine form,” she said, adding it “was a kind of stamp of approval — that they see me exactly as I am”.
And on the street, young people have told her that her story has given them hope.
“That fills me up. It gives me so much strength to keep going and doing what I do — because at the end of the day, I chose myself.”
Atletico Madrid have intensified efforts to sign Ademola Lookman as the Turkish club Fenerbahce edge closer to completing a deal for the Nigeria forward, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Spanish side tried to sign the 28-year-old last summer but failed to reach an agreement with Atalanta.
Their primary midfield target, Leon Goretzka, announced on Friday that he would not leave Bayern Munich until the summer, forcing Sporting Director Mateu Alemany to pursue alternative options.
Atletico are now targeting Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi for midfield reinforcement, but Lookman remains their priority signing.
However, competition for the Nigeria international is fierce. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Fenerbahce’s deal is at the final stages, with the Turkish club offering a package worth €40m including variables.
According to Spanish publication Marca, Atletico acknowledge that Fenerbahce’s bid is currently higher than theirs, though they will do all they can to bring Lookman to Spain.
The player had expressed interest in a move to Spain during the summer.
Diario AS reports that Fenerbahce sporting director Devin Ozek is currently in Bergamo trying to finalise the deal.
Romano posted on Friday that while Atalanta and Fenerbahce have a verbal agreement on a €40m package, they are yet to agree on payment terms and conditions.
He added that Atletico Madrid have been calling in recent hours to ask about deal conditions.
Atletico could return for both Goretzka and Lookman in the summer, depending on what business Alemany completes before February 2.
FC Bayern Munich have confirmed that midfielder Leon Goretzka will leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The confirmation was given by Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund, who said the 29-year-old will complete the season with the club before moving on as a free agent in the summer.
According to Fabrizio Romano’s post on Friday, Freund was quoted as saying, “Leon Goretzka will leave FC Bayern in the summer as a free agent, not now. Leon’s time at FC Bayern will be over in the summer. He will go another way after 8 successful years. We’ll fight together in the coming months to achieve big things.”
The statement rules out any immediate departure, with Bayern expecting Goretzka to remain part of the squad for the rest of the campaign.
Goretzka joined Bayern in 2018 from Schalke and has been a key member of one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
During his time in Munich, he won multiple Bundesliga titles, domestic cups, and the UEFA Champions League.
Despite increased competition for places in recent seasons, the Germany international has remained an experienced figure within the squad.
Bayern and Goretzka are now set to focus on their remaining objectives for the season before the midfielder begins a new chapter in his career this summer.
West Ham announced on Wednesday that they had signed winger Adama Traore from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.
The 30-year-old will be reunited at the London Stadium with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, with whom he worked previously at Wolves.
The Premier League strugglers described the forward as “strong, quick and able to create and score goals”.
Traore, who has been a peripheral player for Fulham this season, came through Barcelona’s youth system before joining Aston Villa in 2015. He has also played for Middlesbrough and Wolves.
The winger, who has made 262 Premier League appearances, scoring 14 goals, said he wanted to help relegation-threatened West Ham to the “maximum”.
“I love the challenges,” he said. “I think, of course, we have to go game by game. And this is what we’re going to do, trying to do our best. I think everything comes from belief. And I believe we’re going to achieve what we’re looking for.”
Nuno is relishing the chance to link up again with Traore, who has won eight caps for Spain.
“Adama is someone who knows the Premier League very well, and his qualities, both as a player and a person, will help us between now and the end of the season,” he said.
“He will give us a different option in attacking areas. He is also motivated to fight for us and ready to bring energy, commitment and determination to our challenge.”
West Ham are third from bottom of the Premier League, five points from safety, but have won their past two matches, against Tottenham and Sunderland.
The club has been active in the January transfer window as they battle for survival, signing forwards Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos earlier this month.
