This year’s Liga MX (the top tier of Mexican football) will have an added novelty with the debut of three female assistant referees who have been promoted by Liga MX by the Referees Committee (UC).
Karen Díaz Medina, Enedina Janett Gómez Caudillo and Mayte Ivonne Chávez García were appointed to be the standard bearers of this introduction into soccer Azteca.
At a press conference at the premises of Mexico National Sports High Performance Centre (CAR), Chávez García expressed joy at her appointment, a moment she had been waiting for since she began the referees program in 2000.
“I am happy, very happy. It has been a dream of mine since 2000 when I began the course,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity and I am grateful to Héctor González Iñarritu, Edgardo Codesal and all my colleagues. On the pitch we are not women; we are referees and belong to decision-making team who will always try to do things right.”
With the backing of her colleagues, she denied that there is an added pressure on the field and that she and her fellow female referees have an abundance of experience in categories such as Ascenso MX (the second tier of Mexican football), as well as the World Cups and Olympic Games, as in the case of Díaz Medina.
“There’s no pressure. We have partners who support us and give us suggestions and we have international experience. We’ve worked in full capacity stadiums and have gone to World Cups, and participated in the Ascenso MX final. In the end, referees always work best under pressure,” said Chávez García.
In addition to the trio of women elected for the coming season, Luis David Sandoval Olmos, Alfredo David, Riveroll Ribbon and César Arturo García will also be new additions as assistant referees.
Also promoted for their debuts as full referees are Jonathan Benjamín Hernández Juárez, Oscar Mejía García, Ángel Olvera Monroy Bello and Uriel Ríos.