Flynn flying referee flag in Asia

Dual ACT and NSW referee member Allyson Flynn became the first woman to officiate in an AFC senior men’s tournament continuing the theme of developing female officials.
The 2013 AFC Assistant Referee of the Year assisted referee Christopher Beath in the AFC Cup 2014 match between Singapore’s Home United and Persipura Jayapura from Indonesia and was part of an Australian trio that also included fellow assistant referee Ashley Beecham.
The 31-year-old said she was proud to be part of a men’s tournament and that there were no issues being part of an all-male refereeing team.
Commenting that the quartet worked well together at the Jalan Besar Stadium and handled the game in the standard expected from all AFC match officials, Flynn also said:
“There were some difficult situations but I was confident and never doubted that I had done my best.”
Echoing those sentiments, referee Beath said that there was never any doubt that Flynn was capable of officiating in a top-flight men’s game and that he was always confident of her ability as she was a regular in A-League matches in Australia.
Flynn and compatriot Sarah Ho, who will also feature in the AFC Cup, were appointed after the AFC Referees Committee had studied their performances during the AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers. Both women were later invited to the AFC Men Referees and Assistant Referees course in December, where they underwent a fitness test as well as theoretical and practical training sessions in preparation for the 2014 season.

Sarah flew out for Vietnam this week to officiate her first AFC Cup Men’s match only furthering the message that the development pathway for female officials is on the rise in Australia.