One of the first female referees ever to work a men’s World Cup received profanity and physical abuse from supporters who branded her a “prostitute” while officiating a match in her own nation.
Kiyovu Sport and Gasogi United played to a scoreless tie on Saturday, with referee Salima Mukansanga in charge. However, “game reports suggest that she was abused,” a Rwanda Football Federation (RFF) spokeswoman told the BBC.
The local male’s league supporters harassed her and attempted to attack her, and the Rwandan football association is looking into it. It claims the disciplinary committee will take action following the inquiry.
Attendees at the game said that Ms Mukansanga was repeatedly called a “prostitute” by a group of Kiyovu Sports supporters.
Security personnel had to step in after the game to stop some of them from physically abusing her, according to Jules Karangwa of the RFF.
President of Kiyovu Sport supporters Hemedi Minani apologized to Mrs. Mukansanga and denounced the “harassment and insults” directed against her.
Ms. Mukasanga was a member of the first squad of three female referees to ever officiate a men’s world cup last year in Qatar. She was also the first woman to officiate the men’s Africa Cup of Nations a few months previously.
