Times of Eswatini

Taking men’s world by storm

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most empowering thing aingathine­swtoarllld­oids dso.mWinoamtie­nng HE who strive in football usually have arsetcighm­anagainrog­uintdo athmemoreb­wutetlcimo­mesǦ ing and accepting era, where you do what you love, whatever it is. oday taes a different tune from our normal queens but ešplore the queens on the field. hey show the world that anything is possible and that women can do absolutely anything they set their minds osne.rWveoams erno’lse fmo otdbeallsl ipnlatyher­isr copmlemfou­rniytoy,usnegttign­irglasntoešlaomoǦ up to, when they pursue their own dreams.

World soccer governing body FIFA has paid a glowing tribute to EsǦ watini’s

Ttop referee

etticia Viana and toǦ day tyle celebrates the win along with Viana. he was featured in an article which has been published on the official FIFA website. fVfVoirans­aethtainsg­bemeinlecs­otmonmeesn­adsead FIFAǦaccre­dited referee.

he ͵͹ǦyearǦold recently became the first EswatiǦ ni referee to officiate in video assistant referee ȋVARȌ section of FIFA

nderǦͳ͹s Women’s

World Cup in India reǦ EcEceswnta­ltyinainfd­emisalteht­eofbiresǦt crcreofmer­eeaeFinIFʹ­AͲǦͳacͷc. rehdeithea­ds also officiated in Women’s Africa Cup of ations and CAF Women Champions

eague matches. his win is also because women refǦ erees have been selected to officiate at the FIFA men’s World Cup for the first time in history.

Recently, Viana achieved the rare feat of becoming the first Eswatini woman referee to ofǦ ficiate in the VAR section of the FIFA Ǧͳ͹ Women’s World Cup in India in ʹͲʹʹ.

With an interview with tyle the referee described her trip in India and how she wished to encourage women who are passionate about ctcthrieti­csipsmor.t but fear stigma and

Dz uring my stay in India, I didn’t gwgweetwti­emre itnocgaomp­sisgfhotrǦ­sthee iwnhgoales month Œust doing games, training and classes. ut all the referees wanted to travel to oa for games.

oa has the sea and is a really beautiful place and less crowdǦ IeI dwathsabna­seudminb.aIi wahsere fortunate because all my games were in oa but the most enŒoyǦ able thing about India wewenacset,hmeeWetoir­nlgd nCeuwp epšepoeprlieǦ from all around the world, maing bfbfreiset­nodfsaalln. dhme ebmonodriw­ese whads atnhde still have now after the World Cup

ACHIEVED

is pDzIrwiceol­uelsdst. ell the women who are shy to believe in themselves that it always starts in the mind, even esus in if you can have faith as sdmoaelsl saasyaDz mruslytaIr­tdelsl eyoedu, tyhoeurec andsaitywt­oilltmhios vme.ouonthaing­mwoivllebf­eroimphoes­sreibtloe Matthew 17:20 for you.dz All women need is to have faith and believe in themselves and they can dominate any space they wal into,dz said Viana. toVbiaenaa­n’sinrsipsei­rainsgastr­oerfey.rIetehaiss saalsido hEsewlpaet­dinipaospt­uhelaErFis­Aehtahseor­ggaamniese­ind several refereeing courses that intecdlurd­eefderthee­sliehsuolaf nFIiFAiǦba­acncdreœdeǦ, ishileembinhaolsiiphia,gamguolna,ganodtheur­ysǦ. EFA resident eter imelane hosifiggrn­heiflfeiig­crahenetet­indhgigtih­hneltighth­reatcnioss­utfhnoetrr­mgyr.aoDztwioftn­ha of our refereeing, where we have witnessed leading referee, ettiǦ cioanVseia­cnuat,ivoeffiWci­oamtinegn aAtftrhice­athCiurdp of ations.

he has since got a historic apǦ pseocintit­omneonfttt­hoeoFfIfFi­cAiateǦͳin͹ tWheomVAeR­n sWaoyrilnd­gCubpy,dzthiemEelF­aAnewweabs­sqiuteo.teInd baeqtuwael­eifnierdef­sepreoerit­nsgd, Veviaenloa­pismaelsno­t ovaffniced­r adfitpelro­mcoamcpolu­ertsiengin­anpaodrtǦ

oaonainggembae­cntaatnhderRŒeocurenaet­yi,oVniǦ. ana feels that things wouldn’t have been possible without the lsouvpepEo­srwtaotifn­Ei bFeAcaunsd­e iottihs epresa.ceDzǦI ful, a very respectful nation that provides equal opportunit­y for geveenrdye­ornaenrdeg­realridgli­eosns,dzosfhyeous­arirda. ce,

APPOINTMEN­T

 ?? ?? Letticia posing for a picture with members of the African team at the World Cup.
Letticia Viana pictured in India at the entrance at the Under 17 Women’s World Cup India 2022.
Letticia with other referees.
Letticia’s World Cup medal which she received during her trip.
Letticia posing for a picture with members of the African team at the World Cup. Letticia Viana pictured in India at the entrance at the Under 17 Women’s World Cup India 2022. Letticia with other referees. Letticia’s World Cup medal which she received during her trip.
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