Claudia Umpiérrez

Claudia Inés Umpiérrez Rodríguez (born 6 January 1983) is a Uruguayan association football referee and lawyer by profession.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Umpiérrez and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.
Claudia Umpiérrez
Full name Claudia Inés Umpiérrez Rodríguez
Born (1983-01-06) 6 January 1983
Pan de Azúcar, Uruguay
Other occupation Lawyer
Domestic
Years League Role
2016 Uruguayan Second Division Referee
2016 Uruguayan First Division Referee
International
Years League Role
2010 FIFA listed Referee
AUDAF

She has worked in FIFA international competition since 2010. She has been a first category referee[lower-alpha 1] in Uruguay since 2016. On 4 September of that year she became the first woman in the history of Uruguayan football to referee a match in the First Division.

Due to her good performances in 2015 and 2016, she was included in the yearly list of best referees in the world by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).[1][2]

She is the niece of former Uruguayan international Rubén Umpiérrez.[3]

Career

Early life

As a child, Claudia Umpiérrez played football in her hometown, Pan de Azúcar. She was born into a football family, since her father is a coach, her maternal grandfather was a referee, and her uncle was a professional player who excelled in France, Rubén "Pico" Umpiérrez.[4]

When she was 16, her aunt took a course to be a referee. Claudia was enthusiastic and wanted to register, but as a minor she could not. When she turned 18 and moved to Montevideo to study law, she heard on the news that enrollment to the referee school was open.[5]

On her decision to get involved in the world of football, Umpiérrez recalls:

My father did not like it. He is a coach and sees everything from another role. He knows that they insult referees. He gets angry and yells anything at them. I said: "Dad, think I can be myself." They saw that I liked it; they supported me.[6]

In 2002, the refereeing course was opened. Claudia signed up and managed to complete it in 2004. She finished her university career and received her law degree. During the following years, she practiced both professions.

Beginnings as international referee

At the end of 2009, Umpiérrez was approved as a FIFA international referee.[7] She was also promoted from the third to the second category by the Referees' Association of Uruguay,[lower-alpha 2] with the best score of all her colleagues, both men and women.[8] In the following year she took part in her first international competition, being called to officiate in the South American U-17 Women's Championship.[9] She debuted at the international level on 31 January 2010 as the referee of the match between Brazil and Bolivia. Then on 6 February she refereed the last match of Group A – Paraguay against Bolivia. Due to good performance, she was selected to be the referee of the third place match, on 11 February in São Paulo, between Paraguay and Venezuela.

At the end of March 2010, she was the designated referee of a Third Division match between Peñarol and Defensor Sporting at the Estadio Centenario. As part of the celebrations of Women's Month, this was the first time four women officiated a match in the main stadium of the country. However they were forced by the Referees' Association to wear men's shorts rather than skirt pants.[10][11]

Umpiérrez was selected as referee for the 2010 Copa Libertadores Femenina. She debuted in the official international club competition on 4 October 2010, as the referee in the Everton-UPI match. On 10 October, she refereed the match between Everton and Deportivo Florida. Due to the skill she demonstrated, she was placed in charge of the third place match between Boca Juniors and Deportivo Quito.[12]

For the 2012 South American U-17 Women's Championship, she was included among the competition's officials. On 9 March 2012, at the opening of Group B, when Brazil and Paraguay faced each other, Umpiérrez was the referee. Then she officiated on 13 March, when Venezuela faced Brazil.[13] Due to the fact that the Uruguayan national team qualified for the final stages, Umpiérrez was ineligible due to her Uruguayan nationality.[14]

Umpiérrez (left) at the 2012 U-17 Women's World Cup

She was selected as a referee for the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan. She made her world debut in an official competition on 22 September 2012, as the referee in the opening game of the World Cup between France and the United States. She issued two yellow cards and the match ended in a scoreless draw.[15] She then led the last game of Group A, between Canada and Azerbaijan. She gave one yellow card and the Canadians won 1-0.[16] Due to her good performances, she was assigned to a semifinal, played on 9 October between North Korea and Germany. Umpiérrez showed one yellow card throughout the match and the North Koreans won 2-1.[17] She finished the U-17 World Cup with three appearances as referee, and two as fourth official.

After a successful 2012, Umpiérrez passed a physical test, but was in fourth place at the end of the year among second category referees. As there were places for three promotions to the first category, she did not achieve the big jump.

On 6 March 2013, she was recognized by the Minister of Tourism and Sport, Liliam Kechichián, as one of the pioneers representing the country in international women's refereeing.[18][19]

For the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which was held in Canada, she was left as a reserve for the Argentine referee, so she could not take part in the world championship. Claudia was not in top physical condition, because at the beginning of the year she became a mother for the first time.

In March of the following year, Umpiérrez was in the Algarve Cup, as a form of preparation and evaluation for the Women's World Cup. On 4 March 2015, she was referee of the opening match of the international friendly tournament for women's teams, played between Japan and Denmark. She gave two yellow cards and Denmark won 2-1.[20] On 9 March she refereed the match between Norway and Switzerland. She gave four yellow cards, and the match finished 2-2. She was present as the fourth official at the final between France and the United States.[21]

She was selected as the referee for the Women's World Cup in 2015, which took place in Canada.[22] Her official World Cup debut took place on 8 June 2015, at Winnipeg Stadium before more than 31,000 people. As the referee of the match between United States and Australia, she issued three yellow cards and the USA won 3-1.[23][24] She was the referee again on 16 June, the last date of Group C. She gave five yellow cards in Cameroon's 2-1 victory over Switzerland.[25] She was appointed to referee the quarterfinal match, between England and Canada, played on 24 June before more than 54,000 spectators at BC Place in Vancouver. Umpiérrez gave two yellows and England won 2-1.[26] In addition, Claudia was twice the fourth official, once in the World Cup Final, a match in which the United States defeated Japan 5-2 and won the title.[27]

On being present at the final, Umpiérrez recalled:

I could not believe it, I thought about everything we had trained for and about my family. Then when we went out to the pitch the Spanish assistant told me: "Clau, do not laugh anymore." I was really happy; it was not like I was pretending; actually at some point in the championship, in a return I had been told I was very serious.[28]

After her World Cup experience, she returned to Uruguay and her work had a media impact, which left women well positioned.

On 24 September, she received recognition from the Executive Board of Women's Football of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), for her international performance as a referee.[29]

The first professional woman referee of Uruguay

Claudia Umpiérrez passed the men's physical test, with the possibility of ascending from the second category[lower-alpha 2] of referees to the first, and this was approved.[30]

On 29 September 2015, she officiated two professional men's teams for the first time. It was the first match of the Suat Cup for the Miramar Misiones centenary, between Cerro Largo and Boston River.[31]

She was designated as an official for the 2015 Copa Libertadores Femenina that was held in Colombia.[32] Umpiérrez officiated in three matches, including the semifinal between Colo-Colo and UAI Urquiza.

She refereed an international friendly on 28 November, which was played at Pacaembu Stadium in São Paulo, between the national teams of Brazil and New Zealand. She did not need to issue any cards in the 1-0 New Zealand victory.

She achieved promotion to the first category on 30 December. The Referees' Association evaluated Claudia's record for the year and placed her in the highest category of referees in Uruguay. She was the first woman in history to be eligible to lead professional First and Second Division matches. Before this women had only worked as assistants.[33][34][35][36]

On 7 January 2016, she was recognized by the IFFHS as one of the best referees in the world in 2015, ranked 10th.[1][37] She became the first South American to appear in the top 10 of the four editions that were held, with 12 points.

She was assigned as the fourth official for the third place match of the 2016 Suat Cup.[38] On 15 January she was present at the third place match of the Summer Cup; she was the fourth official of the match between Argentinos Juniors and Defensor Sporting at Estadio Luis Franzini, which Defensor won 1-0.[39]

On the first day of the Uruguayan championships, Umpiérrez was an adviser of youth matches. The next day, she was designated to be the fourth official in a First Division match, between Plaza Colonia and Liverpool, as well as an adviser in the matches of El Tanque Sisley against Peñarol, of the Third and First Division. For the third day, she was again the fourth official of a First Division match, between Rentistas and Cerro.[40] She was also a consultant for the meetings between Liverpool and Juventud, both in the First and Third Division, during the week she advised on youth.

On 24 February, she was designated by the Referees' Association to be an referee on the first day of the second round of the Second Division, in a match between Central Español and Tacuarembó.

On 1 March it was announced that the president of Peñarol, Juan Pedro Damiani, would invite Umpiérrez for the inaugural match of the club's stadium, in recognition of Women's Month.[3][41]

She made history on 5 March 2016, becoming the first woman to lead an official professional match in Uruguay. She officiated in Parque Palermo before some 400 people, in a meeting between Central Español and Tacuarembó on the first day of the second round of the Second Division.[42][43] At 33 years and 59 days old, Umpiérrez said of her first official professional experience:

I felt good, very happy. I had a nice reception from the players; they cooperated at all times, so content and happy to have already passed the 90 minutes.[44]

Her second match, refereeing on 19 March, was between Torque and Cerro Largo at Estadio José Nasazzi. She issued seven yellow cards and one red.

On 28 March, she was the fourth official of the inaugural match of the Estadio Campeón del Siglo, between Peñarol and River Plate, a match that ended 4-1 in favor of los carboneros.[45]

At the end of April, she traveled to Miami to attend a FIFA seminar and a physical test. She passed the test and was designated as an official for the 2016 Summer Olympics in the women's football championship.[46]

She debuted at the 2016 Summer Olympics on 6 August, refereeing the US-France clash in the group stage. She gave one yellow card to each team, and the Americans won 1-0. Then she had another chance, on 12 August, in the quarterfinals. She refereed the match between Canada and France, which ended 1-0 in favor of the Canadians. In all, she served as the central referee twice, and once as the fourth official in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

On 31 August she was selected by the Referees' Association to lead a First Division match in Uruguay for the first time.[47]

History was made on 4 September 2016, when for the first time a woman was the central referee of a Uruguayan First Division match. Claudia Umpiérrez oversaw the match between River Plate and Boston River at Estadio Saroldi.

On 26 December, she was recognized for the second consecutive year by the IFFHS as one of the best referees in the world, this time ranked 11th.[2]

2019 Women's World Cup

She was selected as one of the referees for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, and had the honour of being selected to referee the opening match of the tournament.[48] After the conclusion of the round of 16, Umpiérrez was selected as one of 11 officials to be assigned matches for the remaining matches of the tournament.[49]

Statistics

Claudia Umpiérrez has refereed in the following competitions:

Personal life

When Claudia Umpiérrez began her career as a referee in 2002, she met Gabriel Popovits, a second-year student in the same field. At that time they were both married, so they became friends. But some time later, both having divorced, they met again, this time as practicing referees. The love between them flourished, and they later married. On 26 January 2014, their first daughter, Naomi, was born. Motherhood did not prevent Claudia from continuing her passion, officiating.[4][6]

Umpiérrez acknowledged that the insults she received as an referee in the youth divisions were mostly from women.[55] She also said that she found matches in the Second Amateur Division to be the most difficult to direct, since they mostly involved professional players.[56]

She currently works at Banco de Seguros del Estado, and occasionally practices as a private attorney.

Honors
  • 2015, named one of the best referees of the year by IFFHS (10th place)[1][37]
  • 2016, Exceptional Sportsman of the Departmental Board of Montevideo
  • 2016, named one of the best referees of the year by IFFHS (11th place)[2]

Notes
  1. The first category of referees involves the power to officiate First Division and Second Division matches in Uruguay.
  2. The second category of referees involves the power to officiate matches of the Second Amateur Division, Third Division, Under-19, and Women's football in Uruguay.

References
  1. "Jueza uruguaya Claudia Umpiérrez entre las 10 mejores para la IFFHS" [Uruguayan Referee Claudia Umpiérrez Among the IFFHS 10 Best] (in Spanish). Montevideo Portal. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  2. "The World's Best Woman Referee 2016: Katalin Kulcsar". International Federation of Football History & Statistics. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  3. "Debuta Claudia Umpiérrez como árbitra de fútbol profesional" [Claudia Umpiérrez Debuts as Referee of Professional Football]. La República (in Spanish). 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  4. "Orgullo azuquense: Claudia Umpiérrez mundialista en Canadá 2015" [Pan de Azúcar Pride: Claudia Umpiérrez at 2015 World Cup in Canada]. Semario La Prensa (in Spanish). 15 July 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  5. "Claudia Umpiérrez, árbitra..." [Claudia Umpiérrez, Referee...]. Tenfield.com (in Spanish). 8 November 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  6. Moreira, Yisela (15 September 2014). "Sin offside en el amor" [No Offside in Love]. Minuto (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  7. "FIFA confirmó la lista de árbitros que envió la AUF" [FIFA Confirms the List of Referees Sent By the AUF]. LaRed21 (in Spanish). 26 December 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  8. Calvo, Ricardo (22 January 2015). "La cuotita" [The Little Berth]. Brecha (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  9. López, Gabriel (12 January 2010). "Claudia Umpiérrez y Luciana Mascaraña representarán al referato uruguayo" [Claudia Umpiérrez and Luciana Mascaraña Will Represent Uruguayan Referees]. Deportes en Acción (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  10. "Obligan a las árbitras a vestirse como varones" [Obligating the Women Referees to Dress as Males]. LaRed21 (in Spanish). 27 March 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  11. "Cuarteta arbitral femenina en Uruguay" [Female Officiating Quartet in Uruguay] (in Spanish). Uruguayan Association of Football Referees. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  12. "Copa Libertadores 2010". Bola na Área (in Portuguese). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  13. "Uruguay logró histórica victoria en Sudamericano Sub 17" [Uruguay Achieves Historic Victory in South American Under-17]. La Prensa (in Spanish). 13 March 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  14. "Uruguay clasificó a la fase final del Sudamericano" [Uruguay Qualifies for the Final Stage of the South American]. La Prensa (in Spanish). 17 March 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  15. "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup: France 0:0 USA". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  16. "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup: Canada 1:0 (0:0) Azerbaijan". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  17. "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup: Korea DPR 2:1 (1:0) Germany". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  18. Cuevas, Pablo (6 March 2013). "Con perfume de mujer" [With Women's Perfume]. El Observador Referí (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  19. "Uruguay homenajea a sus árbitras internacionales de fútbol por labor pionera" [Uruguay Honors its International Football Referees for Pioneering Work] (in Spanish). Uruguayan Association of Football Referees. EFE. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  20. "Nadeshiko Japan lose 1-2 against Denmark in FPF Algarve Cup 2015". Japan Football Association. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  21. "Equipe de France A - Etats-Unis-France 2-0". Footofémenin.fr (in French). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  22. "Comienza la Copa Mundial Femenina" [The Women's World Cup Begins] (in Spanish). Uruguayan Football Association. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  23. "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  24. "Claudia Umpiérrez dirigirá EEUU-Australia" [Claudia Umpiérrez Directs US-Australia]. futbol.com.uy (in Spanish). 8 June 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  25. "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  26. "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  27. "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  28. "'Es nuestro sueño' arbitrar en primera" ['It's Our Dream' to Referee in the First]. El Observador (in Spanish). 13 July 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  29. "Premiación sub-16 Femenino" [Women's Under-16 Awards] (in Spanish). Uruguayan Football Association. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  30. "Claudia Umpiérrez, la jueza de fútbol que ascendería a Primera División" [Claudia Umpiérrez, the Woman Judge of Football Who Will Ascend to the First Division]. La República (in Spanish). 17 November 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  31. "Copa Suat: Boston River 2 Cerro Largo 1". El Ascenso (in Spanish). 29 September 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  32. "Copa Libertadores Femenina" (in Spanish). Uruguayan Football Association. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  33. Banchero, Daniel (30 December 2015). "En 2016 una mujer arbitrará partidos en Primera División; el Colegio ascendió a Claudia Umpiérrez a primera categoría" [In 2016 a Woman Will Referee Matches in the First Division; the Association Promoted Promoted Claudia Umpiérrez to First Category]. Tenfield.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  34. "Claudia Umpiérrez, la jueza uruguaya que ascendió a árbitra de primera" [Claudia Umpiérrez, the Uruguayan Judge Who Was Promoted to First Division Referee] (in Spanish). Montevideo Portal. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  35. "Umpiérrez, la primera mujer en dirigir en la máxima categoría del fútbol uruguayo" [Umpiérrez, the First Woman to Direct in the Highest Category of Uruguayan Football]. La Nación (in Spanish). 1 January 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  36. "Claudia Umpiérrez será la primera jueza de Primera División en Uruguay" [Claudia Umpiérrez Will Be the First Woman Referee of the First Division in Uruguay]. Minutouno.com (in Spanish). 2 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  37. "The World's Best Woman Referee 2015". International Federation of Football History & Statistics. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  38. "River y Argentinos Jrs abren la Copa Suat". Caras y Caretas (in Spanish). 9 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  39. "Defensor terminó tercero" [Defensor Finishes Third]. El Observador Referí (in Spanish). 15 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  40. Olascuaga, Joselo (20 February 2016). "Claudia Umpiérrez cuarto árbitro" [Claudia Umpiérrez Fourth Official]. Tenfield.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  41. Decaux, Marcelo (1 March 2016). "Para el debut del estadio ante River se vendieron más del 25% de las entradas" [For the Debut of the Stadium Against River More Than 25% of the Tickets Were Sold]. El Observador Referí (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  42. "Rampla ganador del domingo. Resultados y posiciones de la primera fecha" [Rampla Sunday's Winner. Results and Positions of the First Day]. Tenfield.com (in Spanish). 6 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  43. "Central Español 3 Tacuarembó F.C. 2". El Ascenso (in Spanish). 5 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  44. "Entrevista a Claudia Umpiérrez" [Interview With Claudia Umpiérrez] (in Spanish). Uruguayan Football Association. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  45. Banchero, Daniel (24 March 2016). "Andrés Cunha dirigirá el primer partido en el Estadio Campeón del Siglo; Claudia Umpiérrez será cuarta árbitra" [Andrés Cunha Directs the First Game in the Estadio Campeón del Siglo; Claudia Umpiérrez Will Be Fourth Official]. Tenfield.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  46. "Claudia Umpiérrez arbitrará en los Juegos Olímpicos" [Claudia Umpiérrez Will Referee in the Olympic Games]. El Observador Referí (in Spanish). 1 May 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  47. "Es la hora de Claudia" [It is Claudia's Time]. El País (in Spanish). 2 September 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  48. "Two referees selected for the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™ pull out". FIFA.com. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  49. "Refereeing - Media briefing" (PDF). FIFA.com. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  50. "Algarve Cup 2015" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  51. "Algarve Cup 2015" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  52. "Ferns Take Down Brazil". New Zealand national football team. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  53. "Women's Olympic Football Tournament, Rio 2016". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  54. "Women's Olympic Football Tournament, Rio 2016". FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  55. "Mano a mano con Claudia y Gabriel" [One on One With Claudia and Gabriel] (in Spanish). Channel 10. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  56. "'A veces siento que por ser mujer me exigen más'" ['Sometimes I Feel That Because I Am a Woman They Demand More From Me']. El País (in Spanish). 18 July 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
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