Bridgetown, Barbados – The Barbados Football Association (BFA) today announced that two BFA FIFA Assistant Referees, Abigail Brathwaite and Jaselle Louison, will participate in the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Women’s Match Officials Course from 7th – 9th March in Antigua and Barbuda.
The three-day regional Course will form part of the CFU’s observation of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025 (Saturday 8th March) and targets female Caribbean match officials who are currently on the FIFA International Refereeing List.
Both Abigail and Jaselle will participate in physical and theoretical training covering the Laws of the Game, position and movement, match management, the psychology of officiating, and the referee as a brand, as well as have the privilege of hearing from a variety of inspiring presenters during the ‘enrichment sessions’ component of the Course. On IWD itself, all participating match officials will engage in a daylong workshop, exploring issues intrinsic to Caribbean women referees.
BFA FIFA Assistant Referee Jaselle Louison said it was an honor to be selected to represent Barbados in this regional professional development opportunity.
“It’s always an honor to represent Barbados as a referee, and being part of a course especially for women is no exception,” she said. “It is encouraging that as females in a male dominated sport, we are seen for the hard work we put in and given these kinds of opportunities to elevate to both regional and international levels.
I’m looking forward to interacting with, and learning from, other female referees, instructors, and mentors from across the Caribbean so that I can bring back the knowledge to Barbados and share it with others.”
BFA Head of Refereeing Victor Moore said he welcomed this current opportunity provided by the CFU to further develop the skills of local referees, particularly women.
“We are pleased to take full advantage of all training opportunities made available to our match officials so that we can continue to strengthen our pool of referees on the island,” he said. “Being involved in this Course is just another part of the pathway to becoming a top international official, and not only does it benefit the performance of our referees individually, but it also assists us to make for better football in Barbados. It is my sincere hope that by having local representatives participate in these kinds of noteworthy educational programs, that we can encourage others to consider a career in refereeing, especially females.”
BFA President Randy Harris reiterated the BFA’s commitment to investing in all aspects of women in football, emphasizing the Association’s holistic and all-encompassing approach to developing the sport on the island.
“Capacity building is paramount to the development of football in Barbados and it is critical that we continue to provide local, regional, and international development opportunities to every facet of football, and especially to women,” he said. “As we seek to progress the women’s game in Barbados, the BFA remains committed to empowering women involved in all areas of the sport to reach their full potential, and to build on the development of females in football on the island.”
Harris additionally noted the BFA will be participating in a fun day event hosted by the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) this Saturday alongside other national sporting associations to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) and to honor all women in sport.
