Social Issues

Premier League set to have first female referee ever and first black referee in 15 years

LONDON — Rebecca Welch will become the first female referee to officiate a Premier League match when she takes charge of Fulham's home game against Burnley on Dec. 23.

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) confirmed the appointment on Thursday and also said Sam Allison would become the first Black official to take charge of a Premier match for 15 years.

Allison will be the referee for Sheffield United v Luton Town on Dec. 26.

Premier League female referee

Carli Lloyd explains her refusal to kneel during Olympics and says Megan Rapinoe was a distraction

Former United States women’s national team captain Carli Lloyd was a guest on the new CBS show “Kickin’ It” with Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies. During the episode Lloyd shared why she refused to kneel at the Olympics and conversations she had with Megan Rapinoe back in 2016.

The cast of the show also had a short moment to discuss their reactions to Lloyd’s answers after she had left.

Two of the big questions that Abdo asked Lloyd were why she refused to take a knee before the bronze medal game vs. Australia and the feelings between her and Rapinoe.

Euro qualifier abandoned after two fans shot dead

BRUSSELS – The Euro 2024 qualifier between Belgium and Sweden was suspended at halftime and subsequently abandoned following the fatal shooting of two Swedes in Brussels earlier on Monday, UEFA said. 

Belgium raised its terror alert to the highest level as a man in a video on social media claimed that he was the assailant and that he was from Islamic State. 

England FA won’t light Wembley in Israel’s colors or allow Israel/Palestine flags inside

LONDON — Flags and shirts showing support for victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not be allowed for England's games against Australia and Italy at Wembley, the FA said on Thursday.

England host Australia in a friendly on Friday before taking on Italy in a European Championship qualifier on Tuesday.

"On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine," the FA said in a statement.

Norwich’s brilliant mental health awareness video is ‘try not to cry’ material

Norwich City FC have released one of the most genius, emotional and important videos about mental health. The Norwich mental health video was posted on Tuesday for World Mental Health Day.

After just 24 hours the video has accumulated over 43 million views on Twitter and millions more on other platforms. While the video is sad, it’s also so vital and has received high praise not just from the soccer community, but the world.

Norwich mental health video

Megan Rapinoe has no regrets when it comes to her activism

Megan Rapinoe will bid farewell to international football with no regrets about her time on and off the pitch, she told a news conference on Saturday ahead of her last game on Sunday, highlighting her support of social causes throughout her career.

Spain’s players agree to end boycott after federation finally decides to make changes

OLIVA — Spain's World Cup winning-squad agreed to end their boycott of the national team on Wednesday after the country's football federation (RFEF) said it would make "immediate and profound changes", including reshuffling its top management.

The decision was reached after more than seven hours of meetings at a hotel in Oliva, an hour from Valencia, involving the players, RFEF officials, the National Sports Council (CSD) and the women's players' union FUTPRO.

39 of Spain's top women's national team players sign statement demanding more heads to roll

MADRID - A group of 39 players from Spain, including most of the 23 Women's World Cup-winning squad, said on Friday it wanted further changes at the Spanish soccer federation and that the resignation of chief Luis Rubiales and the replacement of the team's manager was not enough.

In a statement, the women did not clarify whether they would continue to boycott national team matches, but said they had called on the RFEF to restructure Rubiales' former cabinet, the Secretary General, the communications and marketing department and the so-called integrity unit.

Spanish soccer boss' mother taken to hospital after hunger strike

MOTRIL, Spain – The mother of the Spanish Soccer Federation's beleaguered chief Luis Rubiales who started a hunger strike in support of her son on Monday, was taken to a local hospital on Wednesday after feeling tired and stressed out, the local priest said.

Angeles Bejar had locked herself in a church in her hometown of Motril in southern Spain to protest the treatment of her son in a furore over kissing World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth, which led to his suspension by FIFA on Saturday.

Spanish regional soccer chiefs come together to demand Luis Rubiales’ resignation

MADRID — Spanish regional soccer chiefs demanded federation boss Luis Rubiales resign for grabbing and kissing World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, as the country's caretaker government promised on Tuesday to ensure women play a bigger role in running sports.

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