Szymon Marciniak has been named "The World's Best Referee" of 2023 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). The Polish referee had won the title also in 2022. For the fifth time in a row, the IFFHS has crowned Stephanie Frappart "Women's World Best Referee" of the year.
In December 2022, Szymon Marciniak was the referee of the World Cup final in Qatar between Argentina and France.
"He won sovereign the IFFHS Award 2022 of THE WORLD’S BEST REFEREE and received it in the UEFA meeting before all his colleagues last August in Geneva," the IFFHS said at its website.
In June 2023, the Pole refereed the Champions League final game between Manchester City and Inter Milan.
"In 2023, Szymon Marciniak was again crowned by IFFHS as THE WORLD’S BEST REFEREE of the year due to his regularity and his charisma," the federation announced.
"He earned 175 points for a large win over italian Daniele Orsato, winner of the IFFHS Award in 2020 and French Clement Turpin. England’s two referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor took places 4 and 5, just before the young french talent François Letexier."
Frappart wins 5th title in a row
"For the fifth consecutive year, Stephanie Frappart is crowned as WOMEN’S WORLD BEST REFEREE 2023 by IFFHS! Only Italian Pier Luigi Collina, IFFHS World Best Referee from 1998 to 2003, made better with 6 IFFHS Awards in a row" - the IFFHS said.
"Since 2019, Frappart won each year, bringing the level more and more higher. In each continent, leaders like Frappart for UEFA, were shining like Tori Penso (CONCACAF), Yoshimi Yamashita (AFC), Edina Alves Batista (CONMEBOL) or Salima Mukansanga (CAF)" - we read.
"Tori Penso had only 17 points less than Stephanie Frappart, she was chosen to whistle the Women’s World Cup final in Australia/New Zealand. Wales referee Cheryl Foster completed the podium."
In 2019, Frappart became the first woman to referee a major men's European match and a French Ligue 1 match. The following year, she became the first woman to officiate a UEFA Champions League match in 2020. In 2021, she became the first woman to take charge of a men's World Cup qualifying match.
In 2022, Frappart was one of the three women referees selected to officiate at the men's World Cup, before she became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match in an all-female referee team.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, IFFHS
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Getty Images