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Referee boss Lutz Michael Fröhlich

Photo: Britta Pedersen/dpa

After the severe criticism of the referees in the women's Bundesliga, DFB referee boss Lutz Michael Fröhlich sees closer cooperation, but also the use of referees from the men's area, as possible solutions.

»I can't say too much about it yet.

But it makes sense if you want to professionalize the whole thing that you at least work more closely together at the interface between the DFB and DFB Schiri GmbH," said Fröhlich to the German Press Agency.

»That ultimately gives an impulse to improve the referees.

But perhaps you should also think about deploying referees from the perspective team who would like to qualify for higher tasks in the men's game at the same time in the women's Bundesliga," said Fröhlich.

Nothing is ruled out, but this needs to be discussed calmly with everyone responsible.

After making similar suggestions, DFB Vice President Ronny Zimmermann recently stated that “men are not automatically the better referees.”

Best female referees not eligible to play in the women's Bundesliga

The refereeing system is divided in Germany.

The referees from DFB Schiri GmbH referee the games in the Bundesliga, 2nd Bundesliga, 3rd League and in the men's DFB Cup, including three women: Riem Hussein, Fabienne Michel and Franziska Wildfeuer.

They are not allowed to referee in the women's upper house because there are separate squads for the referees at the DFB.

Only women whistle in the women's Bundesliga - in a far less professionalized environment.

“As a referee, I have a full-time job somewhere else and can bill 700 euros per game,” ex-national player Tabea Kemme recently criticized the working conditions of the referees.

There is also no support from video assistants.

Most recently there was strong criticism of the referees from the women's Bundesliga team 1. FC Nürnberg.

The DFB then declared that no men would referee in the women's Bundesliga this season.

»Wrong decisions are always annoying, that's what our referees are most annoyed about.

Regardless, we are convinced that a person's performance is not related to gender," said Vice President Ronny Zimmermann.

cev/dpa