Heini Hyvönen is Finland’s first female referee at the highest men’s league level.
On Saturday, history will be made in domestic football when Heini Hyvönen works as an assistant referee in the men’s highest league level in the meeting between HJK and FC Lahti.
Hyvönen, 29, from Mikkeli, is the first woman to referee in the Veikkausliiga. Hyvönen started refereeing at the age of 15 to earn summer work money.
– It’s a really big deal both for myself and for the entire Finnish community of female referees. A few weeks ago I heard about it myself and it came as a huge positive surprise, Hyvönen tells Urheilu.
The first Veikkausliiga match was the main goal of this season for Hyvönen, who has mainly refereed in the men’s First Division and the National League.
– About a year and a half ago, when I was assigned the first Ykkönen games, it dawned on me that it could actually be possible, Hyvönen opens.
The fitness tests for assistant referees are the same in Ykköse and Veikkausliiga, regardless of gender. Assistant referees run shorter and faster sprints in the tests, but the time requirements are slightly tougher, while the endurance section is tougher for referees.
– It has long been said that women and men have the same requirements. Now it is shown that it is quite true.
Domestic football fields have been talked about for a long time Lina from Lehtovaara and her possibilities as the first female referee in the Veikkausliiga. Health concerns have, for example, slowed down the fulfillment of Lehtovaara’s goal during the last winter.
Read more: Why isn’t Lina Lehtovaara eligible for the Veikkausliiga? Now the head referee of Pallloliitto responds: “We don’t have any gender boundaries”
– Lina and I are good friends and we have traveled to international games for several years. I’ve always supported him, so let’s hope that the road to the Veikkausliiga opens up for him too. I’ve beaten him a lot in my international career and then in my own country, Hyvönen says.
Last year, Hyvönen worked as an assistant referee at the under-19 European Championships in the Czech Republic.
– In a few years, the women’s European Championships will be played, so let’s take them as the next target. Did it happen immediately or sometime later in the future.