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I notice in todays Herald Sun our very own Susan Alberti is supportive of introducing female umpires to AFL level in some larger capacity. I am interested to hear other's opinions on the matter.
Personally I would be completely accepting of female umpires in the AFL, on the provision that they are selected at that level because they deserve to be and not because they are the token female.
According to others radio listening ability there were actually a few opponents of this, for two major reasons:
1. Female umpires won't be able to handle the abuse that supporters will hurl at them, possibly because they are more mentally fragile.
2. As the role that is being suggested for them is as boundary umpires, there is an argument that the running involved is too much in terms of quantity and pace. As in, the times required of boundary umpires to run are close to those required of female Commonwealth games athletes and thus those candidates for the position would be better spending their time and efforts on a running position.
The only point I found which I disagreed with was Susan Alberti's statement that females have superior intuition in terms of being able to read behaviour and tell if someone is diving as an example. I think this is something which varies person to person regardless of gender, and isn't particularly prevalent in either males or females, at least not in a sporting adjudicating sense.
So what are your thoughts? Is it worth doing? Would it improve the game? Would female umpires have an advantage through their "intuition"? Would they be too intimidated?
Personally I would be completely accepting of female umpires in the AFL, on the provision that they are selected at that level because they deserve to be and not because they are the token female.
According to others radio listening ability there were actually a few opponents of this, for two major reasons:
1. Female umpires won't be able to handle the abuse that supporters will hurl at them, possibly because they are more mentally fragile.
2. As the role that is being suggested for them is as boundary umpires, there is an argument that the running involved is too much in terms of quantity and pace. As in, the times required of boundary umpires to run are close to those required of female Commonwealth games athletes and thus those candidates for the position would be better spending their time and efforts on a running position.
The only point I found which I disagreed with was Susan Alberti's statement that females have superior intuition in terms of being able to read behaviour and tell if someone is diving as an example. I think this is something which varies person to person regardless of gender, and isn't particularly prevalent in either males or females, at least not in a sporting adjudicating sense.
So what are your thoughts? Is it worth doing? Would it improve the game? Would female umpires have an advantage through their "intuition"? Would they be too intimidated?
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