Manuela Nicolosi, a prominent Italian football referee with over 200 professional matches to her name, has publicly spoken out against the sexist environment within the sport, revealing systemic obstacles she faced throughout her career.
Nicolosi, who holds impressive credentials, including being the first Italian to referee a Women's World Cup final in 2019 and officiating at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, claimed that her appearance, not her performance, was repeatedly used to impede her progression. In an interview with 'Quotidiano Sportivo', she recalled that "All my superiors told me: you have to be less visible, you attract too much attention."
She cited a specific instance in France where she was denied promotion from Serie C to Serie B because she was "too visible," stating that technical or athletic failures are understandable, but being stopped for being "flashy" is a major issue.
This constant pressure nearly led her to give up her career. Furthermore, Nicolosi, now 45, confirmed that she left Italy at the age of 20 because she felt that female referees were deliberately allowed to reach a certain regional level before facing "obstacles in every sense."
Finally, Nicolosi confirmed that she suffered harassment and insinuations from footballers, stating: "I never gave in, that's why it took me so long to forge a career." She also recounted a terrifying moment during an Eccellenza league match for Lazio where she was forced to barricade herself in the dressing room and call the police for an escort due to hostile threats from coaches and technical directors of one team.
