Frappart says the French soccer federation is fully committed to having more female refs and to more women in the sport's governance. But La Poste's committee says the main barriers facing aspiring ...

Football is played more by ... along with lineswomen Manuela Nicolosi and Élodie Coppola. Later that year, Rebecca Welch became the first female referee in the Premier League.

There's no formal policy about experience, but two officials are in their third year; the norm used to be at least five.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images ... among NFL officials and those in the football rules industry, this departure from the norm has been a topic of conversation. Referee Ron Torbert is in his 15th ...