15 July 2016

First Set of Female Referees Joins the PBA

Female Refs
For those who are following the games at the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA), there might be something that everyone will have to get used to when the 2016 Governor's Cup starts on 15 July at the Araneta Coliseum. The PBA has hired female referees to work on the games.

The PBA announced last 13 July mentioned Edith Botecario, 29, and Janine Nicandro, 23, as the two female game officials that will be included in the pool of referees for the season-ending tournament.

Botecario and Nicandro were picked from 15 trainees of the PBA referees academy, which included five women, according to the league website.

"We believe in the ability of women, and we want them to play a more active role in the league," PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa said. "I think having women referees will be good for the league long-term."

"Gone are the days when the game of basketball was confined to just the men," he added.

Before their inclusion in the pool of referees in the PBA, Botecario and Nicandro trained in the PBA D-League, the women's 3x3 tournament, and the PBA Campus Tour.

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