By Firew Asrat ,

Ethiopian referee Lydia Taffese is at the apex of her career. One may be amazed when a woman is in charge of a game perceived to be men’s game, some may even doubt and say a woman can’t attain speed and agility to control men’s football match due to biological differences. But that has not been the case with Taffese for the past four years.

The Ethiopian FIFA arbitrator is unique and different from her peers. For two seasons she has been voted the best whistleblower in the Ethiopian Men’s Premier League.

Many Ethiopian Premier League clubs long for her services during their matches and more often than not some have requested the EFF to allocate her decisive matches.

The reason being her ability to make timely and precise decisions in tough and tense matches.

CAF has also sent her for many international games and tournaments including the Africa Women Nations Cup as one of the top refs in Africa. She is the first Ethiopian to officiate a women’s world cup, in the 2015 Canada women’s world cup.

She was in Portugal to lead a tournament among European women teams. And now FIFA has sent her as one of the two African referees to officiate the U-17 women’s world cup slated for Kuwait.

Taffese is a role model to many Ethiopian and African women in general. The mother of one is a health professional with a university degree to back it up.

At Soka25east.com we appreciate Lydia.