Jawahir Roble

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Jawahir Roble also known as Jawahir Jewels or JJ is a Somali-born British football referee. The Daily Telegraph has called her "the most remarkable referee in England".[1] She herself has said, "Who would ever think a black, Somali-born immigrant girl with eight siblings could ref a men’s game in England with a hijab on?".[2]

Early life[]

Jawahir Roble was born in Somalia, and grew up in north-west London with her parents and eight siblings.[1][2] She has said, "We always played football in the garden, in the house, outside, everywhere".[3] Roble is a Muslim, and wears a hijab when working as a referee.[3]

Career[]

In 2014, aged 19, wrote about how she became more serious about how to encourage Muslim girls to play football.[4] In 2013, she obtained a £300 grant, and managed to involve Ciara Allan, her local (Middlesex) county FA women and girls football development officer.[4] In September 2013, Allen launched the Middlesex FA Women's League with a new Desi division for girls.[4] In return for refereeing games every week, Middlesex FA funded Roble's formal referee training.[4]

In 2017, she was one of eleven award winners at the , and collected the Match Official prize.[2] Roble's award was in recognition of her volunteering work for the education charity (FBB) and with the Middlesex FA, coaching FBB's first women's team, as well as for achieving a Level Six refereeing qualification.[2] She is an FA Youth Leader.[3]

She has said, "Of course they're surprised to see a Muslim girl refereeing! I'm kind of short as well so they're like 'okay, what is this child doing here' ".[3]

Vision[]

In 2014, Roble then aged 19 wrote,[4]

I have a dream that one day my fellow Muslim sisters will happily play sport. My aim is to engage young Muslim girls into sports from the ages of 8 years to 15. My overall aim is to promote football as a tool to engage young girls and then to run workshops that help develop team building skills, boost confidence and also promote a healthy lifestyle.

References[]

  1. ^ a b White, Jim (8 May 2017). "Meet Jawahir Jewels – the most remarkable referee in England". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 November 2017 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  2. ^ a b c d "How a Somali-born girl became a ref of men's football". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d "Jawahir Roble: Football referee, Muslim woman, role model". hoopsapp.co. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e Allan, Ciara. "Jawahir Roble's Story". www.capitalgirlsleague.com. Retrieved 8 November 2017.


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