Emanuela Rusta shuts down Instagram account after ‘sexist remarks’

'You have to fight hard to be accepted. You have to blow the glass ceiling to pieces'

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, Updated At : 03:19 PM Sep 19, 2024 IST

The 30-year-old Albanian referee has refereed at the European stage in recent months. Photo: Linkedin.com/Emanuela-Rusta

Referee Emanuela Rusta has said she was fed up of being referred to as 'the sexy ref' after officiating in the Women's Champions League, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

The 30-year-old Albanian referee made headlines after becoming the first woman to referee a men's Albanian SuperLiga match, refereeing at the European stage in recent months.

Previously an avid social media user, Rusta said she had shut down her Instagram account after receiving sexist messages on the platform.

The referee claimed that the media coverage surrounding her appearance had made it difficult for her to reach the same level as her male counterparts.

“You have to fight hard to be accepted. You have to blow the glass ceiling to pieces,” she said. “Refereeing is not a question of gender, but of competence.”