Austrian referee Nina Hobi ensures all is prepared on centre court ahead of the start of the qualification phase on Wednesday at the Myslowice Open in Poland
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Myslowice, Poland, May 20, 2011 – With six year’s experience on the FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour, Austrian referee Nina Hobi, who is currently at the Myslowice Open, says that it is good to see the FIVB encouraging more and more women to become officials in a male dominated profession.
The 30-year-old biology PHD student is one of a handful of female referees in the FIVB at the moment, but can see that changing over the next few years.
“I think they [the FIVB] are encouraging more women to referee and in five or ten years there will be a lot more,” she said. “Women can bring a different aspect to the game. In a men’s game they never behave like we are against them, they don’t see us as the bad guys. We can calm things down. And we are good are doing ten things at once, not just one.”
Hobi, who started playing indoor volleyball 12 years ago, has been working in beach volleyball for eight years. She played for the first league in Austria before deciding to become a referee.
“I realised that I was not going to be as good as I wanted to be, so I thought it was better career for me to be a referee,” Hobi continued.
And while it can be challenging at times, Hobi, who wants to work on events outside Europe, says she loves her work.
“It’s so different to switch from the lab to the court and I really enjoy this aspect. I like everyone here. I like the sport because in comparison to football it’s very fair. Everybody plays fair and you just have to do your job."
“I have a lot of fun. When I do not have fun I will stop it immediately," she concluded.
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