Home › Authors › Salima Mukansanga
Salima Mukansanga Quotes
born 1988
Salima Rhadia Mukansanga (born 1988) is a Rwandan international football referee, best known for making history as the first woman to referee a match at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January 2022, and as one of the first six women to officiate at a men's World Cup, at Qatar 2022. She is regarded as one of the most prominent women in African refereeing, and as a role model for girls and women in football.
Random Salima Mukansanga quote
69 quotes
I liked basketball, and wanted to take it very seriously, but access to basketball facilities and coaches was hard. That’s how I ended up in refereeing, which I have also never regretted. I love it
“At first, I was a bit scared with the pressure and the attention but I was really happy…”
“I kept the spirit to pursue my dream career because that was where my happiness was.”
She said "I am here because I have to be here" is the word she say when she was take an interview questions about how or what is the way to referee in the World cup.
“I’m not regretting anything. Here I am, and I deserve to be here. This is my time, and I have to seize this time to make it shine.”
"Once I got that chance and I got that opportunity I thought let me show them, let me open the door for the rest of the women, let me give all that I have.
"I was thinking 'why not me in a top competition, why not me in those big competitions that we have heard about, those tournaments that we used to see on TV'.
"...it's a first step for women..."
“It was an exciting experience.”
"My message to young girls is that you shouldn’t let anyone tell you that you cannot make it. If you have a dream, go for it and work hard to achieve it."
"Here I am, and I deserve to be here."
“So, back home, we have been working very hard, because a lot [of people] say, ‘Women, they can’t run at the pace of men, the speed and whatever,'” she adds. “Yes, we can’t be men, but we can do our best to be on the same level.”
"All that support gives you strength to keep working and focus for the future. This is a moment for [women] to work, focus on your dream, hard work, sacrifice, you will get a chance. Once you get this chance, it is in your hands, focus and work for the future."
It is an honour and a privilege because it's never happened before
"I'm really proud of myself, I'm really happy because it is a big achievement and honour. It's a privilege, it's a first step for women - that we have made as women,"
"I tried to manage the pressure,"
"We have to change our mindset. We have to show that we are capable, that we have potential, and that we can achieve whatever we want."
"If you have passion, whatever obstacle you face, you will put it away. And then have people supporting you. I have a lot of people supporting me; my country, my people, my FA, my colleagues, they're supporting me.
"People used to say, 'we'll give you a chance in the men's second division, but to go in the first division is tough as teams will not accept a woman referee'. Then people also talked about speed and fitness, saying we would not make it.
"Something else that keeps coming in my memory is the moment I decided to be a referee - despite people telling me, 'you're going to be wasting your time'. When I took the decision, I spent three days alone thinking about whether to be a nurse or a referee.
Topics Salima Mukansanga is quoted on