College graduates pose for a photograph with a soccer ball and a goal post on a soccer field at Yuncheng University in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province. (Photo : Reuters)
Three female Chinese soccer referees were nominated for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada, FIFA officials announced on Wednesday, setting a record high for female Chinese referees in the games.
Among the referees nominated for this year's events is Qin Liang, who was awarded as the best female referee by the Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC) in 2012.
A resident of Beijing, Qin is best known for officiating in the finals of the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Vietnam between China and Australia in May the previous year, making her the second Chinese referee in a major Asian sporting event since Lu Jun in 2004.
Shanghai's Fang Yan and Cui Yongmei from Tianjin municipality in north China were also named as assistant referees for the games.
Both Cui and Fang have experience participating in a number of soccer events in Asia, but the Women's World Cup gives the three referees a unique opportunity to showcase Chinese hospitality, patience, and sense of impartiality to the world, the All China Women's Federation said on its media portal on Thursday.
According to a news release posted on FIFA's official website on March 30, a total 22 referees, seven support referees, and 44 assistant referees representing 49 countries will participate in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015.
Canada will be hosting the Women's World Cup between June 6 and July 5, 2015, and will feature matches played in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, Moncton, and Ottawa.
The country has held several major international soccer competitions in recent years, including the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in 2002 and the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007.
