25-year-old Jawahir Roble has scored success in becoming the UK’s very first female Muslim Referee after soaring through the ranks of a referee course.
At just ten years old, Jawhair moved to the UK to seek refuge to escape the civil war in Somalia. Football worked as a guiding force for Jawahir in settling in, who at the time was unable to speak English.
Jawahir explains: “Football has helped me so much, it has developed me as a person.” “That’s how I started learning the language- it was bringing my football to the school. The only time I was actually trying to speak was when I was playing with the kids. I would say ‘please pass me the ball’, ‘ thank you’ and ‘shoot’. Words would just come out naturally and I was like, damn, I’m speaking English.”
Jawahirs journey into refereeing wasn’t always smooth sailing with hesitation and doubts from her family, Jawahir studied IT at university before dropping out and pursuing football.
Kicking off her career, Jawahir now has a degree in football coaching and management as well as holding the British Football Assosiaction’s Level Six referee qualification. Jawahir has an exciting future ahead of her with the aim of officiating the Premier League.
