The AFLUA acknowledges the stories on female participation within Umpiring that have been published today.
Based on a report, commissioned by the AFL, the stories highlight that involvement in Umpiring has at times not been a safe experience for some female participants. Some of those experiences have been very stressful and harrowing. The behaviours some of the women were subject to are unacceptable in any workplace or environment.
There are many Umpires making a great contribution to the sport of Australian Rules and the sport will be even stronger when there are more females involved in umpiring who are enjoying a safe and supportive environment.
Umpiring has traditionally been a male dominated field and like other areas of society it faces the challenge of transitioning to a culture that promotes diversity and inclusiveness. This requires an investment in coaching, facilities and education at all levels of football. The AFLUA’s hope is that this report acts as a catalyst for such investment and we will continue to lobby for such investment.