The first Indian Woman Assistant Referee ever to officiate in a FIFA World Cup, Uvena Fernandes, will be awarded with the AFC Referees Special Award 2016 in recognition of her officiating in the Final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016 between Japan and DPR Korea.

Uvena, who had officiated four matches in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan including the Final of the Tournament will be conferred with the prestigious award in conjunction with the AFC Elite Referees and Assistant Referees Seminar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 20, 2016.

“Uvena’s achievements have given a major boost to Women Refereeing in India”, said Col. (Retd.) Goutam Kar, Head of Referees Department, All India Football Federation (AIFF).

“She has taken Indian Women’s Refereeing to an international stage and proved her abilities there. Her achievements only act as a beacon of hope for thousands of girls aspiring to be referees.”

“The AIFF remains committed in the exhaustive development of Women’s Football and one part of that is to develop top class referees”, Kar added.

The AIFF’s Head of Referees Department went on to say that, “Uvena has made all of India proud and shown that Indian women have the tenacity to achieve anything in the world.”

“Many congratulations to her (for being awarded the AFC Referees Special Award 2016), she worked hard for it and deserved it”, Kar stated.

(Report & Photo courtesy: AIFF Media)