Goa-based Maria Rebello created history in Indian football when she became the first woman referee to officiat... Read More

KOLKATA: The All India Football Federation celebrated the Women's Day with a special gesture towards the fairer sex.

At the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Saturday, Maria Rebello created history in Indian football when she became the first woman referee to officiate in an I-League match. She had previously officiated in the country's premier football tournament as an assistant referee.

Hosts Pune FC rode Mirjan Pavlovic's 90th minute goal to hold Shillong Lajong FC 2-2 in the match. But with Maria breaking another glass ceiling, the focus was clearly on the 'lady with the whistle'.

The Goa-based referee, who was also the captain of India women's national team, had earlier set the trend by becoming the fourth official of an I-League match. But with the Women's Day in mind, the federation decided to make the occasion memorable.

"It was a conscious decision. We wanted to send out a message to everybody. A woman referee managing 22 men on the field in the most important football tournament of the country is indeed a special moment," Goutam Kar, who's the head of AIFF's referees department, told TOI from Delhi.