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Israeli soccer referee Sapir Berman shared her personal story on Monday at Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth's People of Israel conference — a journey marked by perseverance, gender identity struggles and professional ambition. Berman, 30, made history as the first transgender referee to officiate an international FIFA match. Reflecting on the highlight of her career so far, she said: “It’s incredibly emotional.
Officiating soccer, giving a yellow card, calling a penalty —that’s what I love most. But this is only the beginning.” Sapir Berman's interview at the People of Israel conference In the interview, Berman recounted how she left her path as a young player, found her calling in refereeing and came out as a transgender woman after reaching Israel’s Premier League.
“I thought I’d have to give up soccer but to my surprise, I received overwhelming support from the referees’ association and my family,” she said. “To accept a trans woman in such a male-dominated space — that’s a huge credit to the association.” Berman also spoke candidly about the personal toll: “I felt like I was living a double life — succeeding on the field but hiding who I was.
My soul was burning. When I decided to come out, I was terrified of losing everything but I knew it was the only way to be whole.” Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.
ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv She recalled the physical challenges during her transition: “I failed the fitness test and spent a year refereeing in the second division. It was hard but I relearned my body, pushed myself — and now I’m reaping the rewards.
” 2 View gallery Sapir Berman ( Photo: Oz Mualem ) Berman offered a message to transgender youth: “There’s no ‘right’ time to come out. Love yourself. Believe in yourself.
When you speak from the heart, no one can question it.” She said she chose to come out during the COVID-19 pandemic : “I felt like I was suffocating. I asked myself — am I really going to end my life like this, without becoming who I truly am? I decided to stop hiding and just tell the truth.
” Looking ahead, Berman shared her dreams: “As a referee, I want to officiate at the Women’s World Cup, take part in major matches in Europe and continue refereeing in the Premier League. And beyond that to keep growing as much as I can.” >.
