PBA’s first-ever female referee Janine Nicandro makes presence felt in debut game

In her first game as a referee in the Philippine Basketball Association, Janine Nicandro, the first-ever female referee in the league, immediately made her presence felt when she called a technical foul on Phoenix swingman Mark Borboran for use of profane language.

PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa said Nicandro made a statement that she definitely belongs in the big league.

“It goes to show that she knows what she’s doing,” Narvasa told a small group of sportswriters. “It was a swift, no-hesitation decision on her part.”

Nicandro will be one of two female referees to officiate in the season-ending Governors’ Cup.

For Narvasa, it’s high time for the league to have women referees in the PBA. “We should empower women referees in the PBA,” he said.

According to Narvasa, the move to bring female refs not not only adds a new dimension to the PBA, but also makes the statement that these women are skilled enough to officiate in a league where the country’s finest players play. -interaksyon.com

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