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A Turkish referee will have to start her career all over again after allegedly being removed from FIFA's list of referees by her federation
A controversial decision by the Turkish Central Referee Committee (MHK) to remove Gamze Durmus Pakkan, a FIFA 1st Category referee, from the FIFA referee list due to her pregnancy has sparked outrage across the football world.
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UEFA has condemned the move, calling it a setback for gender equality in sports, while critics pointed out the implications for women’s careers in male-dominated fields.
UEFA criticise controversial decision in Turkey
Gamze Durmus Pakkan’s removal makes her the only referee in Europe reportedly excluded from the FIFA list because of pregnancy.
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UEFA, through Dagmar Damkova, a member of its Referees Committee responsible for women referees, expressed disbelief over the decision, saying, “I can’t believe it. How is removing a referee from the list due to pregnancy any different from being fired from a job?”
The decision has derailed Pakkan’s career, as she now faces the prospect of reapplying from the lowest category, delaying her progression to the Elite Category by at least three years.
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Observers have pointed to UEFA’s contrasting approach to Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan, who was allowed to retain his Elite Category status after being inactive for 18 months due to a heart attack. Critics argue that Pakkan’s position should have been frozen rather than revoked.
Pakkan snub adds to calls for reform in women’s sports
Pakkan’s case shed light on issues regarding gender equality in sports. In a 2023 interview, she spoke about the intense scrutiny women referees face, stating, “We don’t have the luxury to make mistakes; we always have to manage matches well.
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“When male referees make mistakes, they are tolerated or expected to improve, but that’s not the case for women referees.”
The controversy has affected her family as well. Her husband, referee Burak Pakkan, has reportedly faced retaliation, and the family has received threats discouraging them from speaking publicly.
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UEFA continues to push for Gamze Durmus Pakkan’s reinstatement, emphasising the need for fairer policies to ensure that women in sports can pursue their careers without penalty for personal milestones like pregnancy.
The case has prompted widespread calls for systemic reforms to support women in balancing personal and professional commitments in male-dominated fields.
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