Empowering women on the court: EHF holds Female Referee Course

Empowering women’s participation in handball is part of the EHF’s commitment to develop the sport, as well as provide integrity and inclusivity all over the continent. Women play a crucial role both on and off the court, and their involvement depends on the support received throughout the years.

Recently, the EHF has taken this pledge to the next level with the Women’s Handball Roadmap 2029, a forward-thinking plan focused on specific areas of development. One of the pillars addresses the importance of increasing the number of female officials, raising the level of professionalism amongst female referees and for women’s games.

In line with the proposed targets, the EHF will be organising the Female Referee Course for continental referee candidate pairs, which will take place in Porec, Croatia, on 20 April.

The initiative opens doors for women to have more active roles in the sport, following in the footsteps of some of the pioneers — such as sisters Bonaventura, who were the first female pair to whistle men's medal matches at international competitions.

As revealed by the status quo in spring 2025, only 21 of the 127 referee pairs are female, representing only 17 per cent of the EHF’s total. In addition, there are only 11 female registered candidate pairs, out of a total of 36 (31 per cent).

Through consistent efforts, the EHF aims to increase women’s involvement by 2029, and the newly-launched course is a crucial step in that direction.

In total, six pairs — five female and one mixed — will participate in the Female Referee Course, representing six different countries: Bulgaria, France, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

A pool of EHF experts will also attend the event and provide lectures on essential subjects for the role, such as refereeing, coaching and mental training, offering the necessary knowledge for a successful career.

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