Female police officer promoted to referee in Germany

38-year-old policewoman Bibiana Steinhaus will become the first female referee to officiate in Germany's top men's football league (Bundesliga) next season after being promoted to the league.

Bibiana Steinhaus becomes the first female referee to officiate a Bundesliga match. Photo: Reuters

Steinhaus became a referee for the German Football Association (DFB) in 1999 after following in her father's footsteps. She then worked in the lower leagues and has officiated 80 matches in the German second division since 2007. Steinhaus has refereed women's football matches at the 2012 Olympics, the 2011 and 2015 Women's World Cups and will be in charge of the Women's Champions League final in Cardiff, Wales, on June 1.

“For every referee, male or female, it is a struggle to officiate in the Bundesliga. I have been doing it for years and have also experienced some obstacles. That is why I am pleased to have received the confidence of the referees committee. When Lutz Michael Frohlich (head of the DFB referees committee) informed me, I was speechless with emotion. My dream was to become a referee in the Bundesliga and now it has come true,” Steinhaus told the DFB website.

According to Reuters, Steinhaus was one of three male referees promoted to the Bundesliga, but she is the oldest. DFB President Reinhard Grindel said he hoped Steinhaus would not be the first and last female referee in the Bundesliga, as she would inspire young girls in the country to follow in her footsteps.

The news that the beautiful female referee Steinhaus will officiate Bundesliga matches next season immediately attracted the attention of German football fans. Because Steinhaus was once the focus of the media regarding a number of incidents of accidental and intentional "touching" of sensitive areas in men's matches. In 2014, the famous former coach Pep Guardiola of Bayern Munich was criticized for his "groping" behavior when he put his arm around the shoulder and touched the waist of Steinhaus (who was then a table referee) in a match against Monchengladbach in response to the referee's decision.

Then, in 2015, the 38-year-old referee became the center of a media storm when Fortuna Düsseldorf midfielder Kerem Demirbay was banned for five matches for saying “women have no place in men’s football” after being sent off by Steinhaus with a red card.

Steinhaus is also known to many people as the girlfriend of famous English referee Howard Webb, who officiated the 2010 World Cup final between the Netherlands and Spain. The 45-year-old referee had previously divorced his wife Kay (who had 3 children) to move to Germany to live with Steinhaus.

According to TNO