In a country where women still lack control over some basic elements of their own lives and seldom occupy positions of power in politics or industry, Fifa’s decision to place female officials in charge of matches at this World Cup is both significant and laced with hypocrisy.
For the first time in the history of the men’s tournament, football’s world governing body have included female referees among their 129-strong list of officials, a move that while undoubtedly positive — as with so many aspects of this World Cup — casts the choice of Qatar as host into grim focus.
