Date: 2017-02-09

Unlike male referees like Mike Riley and Mark Dean that are popular among football fans for consistently officiating matches in European Leagues, female referees are uncommon feature in world football.

There is no gain saying the fact that refereeing as a profession, is largely dominated by male, reason the few females that are trusted with the whistle attract huge attention from football aficionados, especially in the domestic league.

In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, 23-year-old Balikis is more than determined to make a living for herself in a profession that is often avoided by female folks for fear of intimidation and beating. According to Balikis, her love for the profession started right from her teenage years having played the game of baseball at the age of 10. To actualise her dream of becoming a match official, she joined the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA in Ilorin, eight years ago. "I started nursing the ambition of becoming a referee after watching a match officiated by a FIFA badge referee, Bola Abidoye here at the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin. I told my baseball colleague, Emmanuel, who is also a referee that I want to join them and he introduced me to the association.

"Another reason I decided to join the NRA is their level of fitness because referees do run a lot and for you to be an active official, you must be very fit. In addition, you will be able to travel to different states; you meet many people and earn respect of many. For the 90 minutes that you are on the pitch, you are worshipped by all."

The Grade One official, who is the only Kwara female referee in the Nigeria National League (NNL), however described her start in the profession as tough and rough.

"After going through the training as a referee, I was looking forward to the day I would be picked to officiate in a match. The much anticipated day however came and it was the end of the season match that is held annually in honour of former U-23 and Super Eagles goalkeeper, Dele Aiyenugba at Sabo-Oke.

"As soon as the match started, I was quite jittery to be in the middle of 22 heavily built boys but as the match continued, I was able to regain my confidence. At the end of the match, my senior colleagues and the crowd congratulated me for a job well done," she disclosed.

Balikis, who always look endearing in her kits, revealed that she sometimes get angry when intimidated by a player, added that to prevent further harassment by male footballers, she will make out for her cards.

"You see, we female referees are often harassed by male footballers anytime we make an unfavourable call. A player may commit a foul and if a female referee should blow her whistle for free kick, the reward we get is intimidation from the player that commits the infringement and sometimes his teammates. Some players may even call you unprintable names.

"To wade off such intimidation, I make out for my cards and because no player likes to be booked, they keep some distance from me," she divulged. While many often described the fitness training that has led to the death of some intending referees as arduous, Balikis differ saying, part of the reasons she chose the profession was the exercise.

"Talking about the fitness test that most people complain about, it is not a 'do-or-die' thing but a way of helping referees in terms of fitness, though it is highly intensive but you end up enjoying it."

Despite the challenges that come with the profession, Balikis' only regret is that she didn't join NRA early enough. Though she is seen as a no-nonsense referee when officiating, off the pitch, she is a different personality as she shares a lot of jokes with her friends and relatives.

On bribery allegations that have continued to trail Nigerian referees, she said, it is those in position of authority that are desperate for their teams to win that are culpable of the offence.

"Every referee is good but it is the system that corrupts them. For instance, immediately a referee is appointed to officiate in a match, he or she will start receiving calls from higher authority that this team must win and they will forward huge amount a referee has never made in his life to his account, so how will such person not do their bid in a match?

"For me, I don't blame referees who take bribe because they are acting according to instruction from those in position of authority and there is little they can do," she disclosed.

When asked about some of the challenges that come with the job, she said due to inadequate security at match venues female referees are sometimes beaten by vociferous fans, players or team officials.

"There is also the issue of constant intimidation. Though I have never been beaten before but I have been harassed by people many times as our local coaches don't know the rules of the game enough. That is the major problem we have in this profession but I am used to the harassment and I enjoy it because it's part of the job," she stated.

For her, it is important to be discipline and to keep a clean record to stay long in the profession as she hopes to rank on the same stage as female FIFA badge referees like Folusho Ajayi and Adiza Momoh.