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.”
Ex-Man United striker Wayne Rooney believes fan support could play a decisive role in the outcome of the Premier League title race, urging Arsenal F.C. supporters to get firmly behind their team during a difficult spell.
The Gunners’ hopes of winning a first league title in 22 years suffered a setback after a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, leaving the defending champions within striking distance with games in hand.
The loss followed a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to AFC Bournemouth, after which some fans booed the players off the pitch.
Rooney questioned that reaction, insisting it could have a negative impact on the squad at a crucial stage of the season.
“I think the Arsenal fans need to be better. They’ve been brilliant all season and they’ve hit a little bad run of form,” Rooney said.
He emphasized how much players rely on backing from the stands, particularly when results dip.
“They need to understand how much the fan support means to the players and how much it can help you. When you lose a game and you get booed off, that can affect player,” he added.
Despite recent setbacks, Arsenal remain firmly in contention with five games left to play, but face intense pressure from City, who could overtake them at the top of the table.
Rooney pointed to the importance of unity between fans and players, especially given the club’s recent history of falling short in title races.
“For Arsenal to win the league, the Arsenal fans need to play their part. The fans need to back the players a little bit more because that will have hurt the Arsenal players, 100%,” he stressed.
Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk believes Anthony Joshua has what it takes to defeat Tyson Fury if the long-awaited all-British showdown finally happens.
Negotiations between both camps have restarted after years of failed attempts to stage the fight. Usyk, who has shared the ring with both men and beaten each of them twice, says his recent time in camp with Joshua has left him convinced the former world champion is ready to rise again.
It was reports that Joshua has been training in Spain alongside the unbeaten Ukrainian as he works his way back to full fitness following a December car crash that claimed the lives of two close friends. He suffered minor injuries but has since returned to structured training.
Speaking to The Independent, Usyk said he has been impressed by Joshua’s intensity in camp.
“I believe. I look how Anthony is training. He’s a machine,” Usyk said.
The Ukrainian urged fans to rally behind Joshua during a challenging period in his career. Drawing a comparison with his support for Dynamo Kyiv, he stressed the value of loyalty through setbacks.
“Now I think Anthony needs help. People who support AJ, we must say: ‘Yeah, we do believe!’ Listen. I’m a fan of Dynamo Kyiv. I’m a fan a long time. Sometimes, my team loses but I not say: ‘You’re bad, you’re bad.’,” he added.
“I say, ‘Things happen. You must work, pray. It’s normal because it’s sport. Sometimes people support team or fighter and fighter loses and they’re negative. You are not fan. We must help each other. If we don’t help each other we are not people. We are animals.”
Usyk admitted Joshua is close to a full return but urged patience as recovery continues.
“I think yes but we need a little bit of time because we know AJ has problem with body after crash but yes, he can return,” he said.
Promoter Eddie Hearn expects Joshua to take another fight before a potential clash with Fury. He confirmed the British star is likely to remain in Usyk’s training environment for at least his next two bouts.
“I think, at the moment, he’s very happy obviously. The plan is those two fights, he’ll certainly be training with Usyk for those two fights,” Hearn said.
“I think when he’s there and he’s focused and he’s got that purpose, I think it’s really good for him.”
Usyk is also preparing for his own blockbuster event. The champion is set to face kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in front of the Pyramids of Giza, with the World Boxing Council heavyweight title at stake.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Alexander Manninger, who played for Austria at Euro 2008, died on Thursday after his car was hit by a train, his former club Red Bull Salzburg said.
The 48-year-old died when a train hit his car while crossing the tracks in the Salzburg region, the Austrian news agency APA reported.
“We mourn our former goalkeeper Alexander Manninger, who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident,” Red Bull Salzburg posted on its Facebook page.
“Our thoughts are with his family and his friends. Rest in peace, Alexander.”
Both the Austrian Football Association and Arsenal also expressed condolences.
“With him, the world of football has lost a very special person,” the Austrian Football Association said on X.
“Everyone at Arsenal is shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic passing of former goalkeeper, Alex Manninger,” Arsenal posted on X.
The cause of the accident, in which no one else was injured, is still under investigation, according to police.
Manninger made 64 appearances for Arsenal between 1997 and 2002, winning the Premier League and FA Cup.
He also played 33 times for Austria, including the 2008 Euros which were held on home soil.
Manninger started his career with hometown club Red Bull Salzburg and, in addition to Arsenal, played for teams across Europe, including Sienna, Juventus, Udinese and Augsburg.
Aged 39, he signed a short-term deal with Liverpool in 2016 but did not play.
