After the portal sports.ru reasonably recognized the status of the most beautiful referee in Russian football for a 21-year-old student of the Krasnoyarsk Pedagogical University, a former football player of the Siberian women's national team, and now a judge, her life changed: interviews and filming for TV channels became part of her work. In four months, the number of followers on her Instagram (@kostyuninaa) has grown from several hundred to 87 thousand. Judging by the photos that Katya posts on her page, one gets a deceptive impression - as if in front of you is an actress, or a model, or a successful fitness blogger, but not an arbiter who is able to move around the field along with men for two periods of 45 minutes, making key decisions in the game - and all this at the highest degree of concentration.
"When I go out onto the field and hear the first sounds of the anthem, it's adrenaline."
- At school I was constantly called a kid, they did not approve of my hobby for football, they looked askance due to the fact that I do not wear dresses and skirts. For this reason, I am glad that now they see me from the other side, they understand that I can be feminine. Please, in my wardrobe there is a football uniform with boots, and beautiful dresses, high-heeled shoes … There are a great many models and actresses, but I cannot imagine myself in these professions. My goal is to be realized in football, especially since I have been doing it for several years, I have been judging matches for several years, and I have gained experience.
When, before the start of the competition, I go out on the field and hear the first sounds of the anthem - it's hard to describe how I feel, it's adrenaline. For him, I return to the game again and again. Alas, this is not hereditary. There are no football players in my family.
I was not immediately assigned to referee serious matches. Trained at children's games. There was excitement, of course. The problem is that men have a prejudiced attitude, some believe that a woman is not capable of seriously understanding football. I don’t react to such attacks, I just keep going my own way. Why sort things out if the fact does not require proof? Women arbiters are world practice. The first female football referee in Russia is Natalya Avdonchenko (since 2004 she was in the top list of FIFA referees, judged at two world championships, in 2012 announced her retirement - MC). She has achieved great success, I look up to her. I strive to develop in order to get a category and referee matches of the highest level.
I can't call my character typically female. You need to have certain qualities in order to be “on the same wavelength” with men - to understand that they are more straightforward, do not choose words, communicate on any topic and rarely blush.
"Sometimes it is difficult to enter the field due to the increased attention."
A football match lasts 1.5-2 hours on average. The arbiter (man or woman) all this time needs to concentrate only on the game, not to be distracted by anything, and besides, have good psychological preparation. The referee can be pressured by players, coaches and even fans - for example, through unflattering, provocative shouts from the stands. It is important to be able to remain calm, to think soberly in any situations. Tears during a match? Never! The judge has no right to emotions. And the third condition is good physical fitness, endurance: the referee runs as much per match as the most productive and active player - up to 12-15 km.
Does external data help you move up the career ladder? Complex issue. Sometimes it is difficult to enter the field due to the increased attention. Before the start of the game, during the traditional greeting, the players shake hands with the referees and opponents. It happens that my hand is squeezed harder than it is customary in such cases. Or after the match, fans throw up notes, give flowers, offer a ride. I don't take these points seriously. On the field I am concerned only with the game.
Photo: personal archive
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