Breaking the Glass Ceiling: DRC's only female boxing referee scaling heights in men's game

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02:43

Now, let's head to the Democratic Republic of Congo to meet Wivine Tshidibi. Tshidibi is a retired female boxer and that's not all. She is the first and only female referee, who officiates men's boxing matches. CGTN's Asta Tall caught up with her.

As she takes the budding male boxers the steps, to Wivine Tshidibi, the rule of the game must be upheld. She is the first, and only female referee, to officiate men's boxing matches. A passion that made her quit her own career as a middle-weight boxer.

WIVINE TSHIDIBI MEN'S BOXING REFEREE "I was a boxer. At some point, an opportunity for refereeing training came to me. I should then make a choice, either to continue boxing or to referee. Having noticed that women are in several other disciplines, but rare in boxing refereeing, then I opted for refereeing."

In the capital, near the Central market of Kinshasa, Wivine lives in this building. Here, she is a loving mother.

WIVINE TSHIDIBI MEN'S BOXING REFEREE "Since boxing is much more practice at night, I do my housework and cooking for the kids. My sports nights start around 6 pm with refereeing. People who like to see me doing this work say that I do it better than men."

AMSETU MENGI WIVINE'S DAUGHTER "People often told my mother that the profession of refereeing is a profession of men. But today, we are proud of her because she has managed to establish herself in this men's profession. We can only encourage and support her in this work she loves so much."

She is a trailblazer. Her fair refereeing and balanced approach to matters boxing attracts respect from the menfolk too.

"I live in the same building with mom Wivine. I see what she does here every day and I often watch her on TV when she referees the championships. It is a pleasure to see a woman getting involved in men's boxing."

"Wivine is a referee who knows the rules of boxing. She detects the slightest mistakes and faults during the fight. She knows how to stop when necessary."

Lack of proper infrastructure has hampered the growth of boxing in this Great Lakes nation. But the love for this sport abounds. The legend lives on, through women such as Wivine, whose flair shines in the male-dominated world of male boxing refereeing. Asta Tall, CGTN.