Saša Ihringová

{{Infobox football official

| name = Saša Ihringová

| fullname = Alexandra Ihringová

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1975|1|29}}

| birth_place = Czechoslovakia

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| internationalyears1 = 2001–

| confederation1 = FIFA

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Alexandra "Saša" Ihringová (born 29 January 1975){{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/referees/referee=180270/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202050551/http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/referees/referee=180270/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 February 2009 |title=Referee |publisher=FIFA.com |accessdate=2011-05-09}} is a Slovak-born football referee, based in Shropshire, who officiates in the role of assistant referee in the Football League.

In addition she has refereed several major women's football matches at domestic and international level. These include the FA Women's Cup final, the UEFA Women's Champions League final, the UEFA Women's Championship final and the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup final.

Ihringová is {{height|ft=5|in=9}} tall and, as well as her native Slovak, can speak English, German, Russian and Spanish.

Career

=Early career=

{{Quote_box|

width=25%

|align=right

|quote="I am always happy to admit that if I was a good player, I would still be playing! It is indefinitely more fun."

|source=– Ihringová on her playing days{{cite news |title=Sasa Ihringova |publisher=She Kicks |page=34|date=10 October 2010|issue=3}}}}

Ihringová grew up in a sporting family in Bratislava.{{cite web|url=http://zena.sme.sk/c/4361876/alexandra-ihringova-musim-byt-rovnako-dobra-ako-muzi.html|title=Alexandra Ihringová: Musím byť rovnako dobrá ako muži|publisher=SME.sk|language=Slovak|author=Dana Haščáková|date=2009-03-29|accessdate=2011-05-09}} As a player, Ihringová was a national champion three times from 1991 to 1994 with her club Filozof Bratislava.{{cite web|url=http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/11543/1/|title=High-flying Slovak female soccer referee scores against the men|author=Kristína Havasová |publisher=The Slovak Spectator|accessdate=2011-05-09|date=2003-01-13}} She attended a course for women officials in 1995.{{cite web|url=http://refworld.com/referee/2414/3/sasa-ihringova|title=Assistant Referee Sasa Ihringova|publisher=Refworld.com|accessdate=2011-05-09}} Her move into refereeing was inspired by Ihringová's uncle, Karol Ihring, a FIFA official named the best referee in Slovakia three times.

Ihringová quickly progressed through the ranks and in 2002 became the first, and at the time, only, woman to referee in the second tier of men's football in Slovakia.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0257-0de683336a93-7ff4520697a4-1000--ihringova-ready-for-ewood-encounter/|title=Ihringova ready for Ewood encounter|author=Pete Sanderson|publisher=UEFA|date=2005-07-17|access-date=2011-05-09}}

=England=

In 2006 Ihringová emigrated to England, and was "adopted" by the Football Association.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/~/media/5D29273BB9D3482CB2DCAC5E41175E0F.ashx/REFMAG12_June2010.pdf|title=Ambassadors of the game|author=Janie Frampton|publisher=TheFA.com|date=June 2010|accessdate=2011-05-09}} She oversaw two consecutive FA Women's Cup finals in 2008 and 2009. Ihringová considered that the move to England, and particularly her involvement at Football League level, assisted in her overall development as a referee.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01dd-0e11b6a05961-c5a3a8fec676-1000--ihringova-enjoys-refereeing-chance/|title=Ihringova enjoys refereeing chance|author=Paul Woloszyn and Paul Saffer|publisher=UEFA|date=2009-09-03|access-date=2011-05-09}}

Ihringová took charge of the second–leg of the 2008 UEFA Women's Cup Final between 1. FFC Frankfurt and Umeå IK, before 27,000 spectators at Commerzbank-Arena.

In April 2011 she refereed the first game of the new FA WSL, as Arsenal beat Chelsea 1–0.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2011/04/13/england/wsl/chelsea-lfc/arsenal-lfc/1064360/|title=Chelsea vs. Arsenal 0 – 1|publisher=Soccerway.com|date=2011-04-13|accessdate=2011-05-09}}

=International career=

Ihringová was appointed to the FIFA list in 2001 and took charge of her first women's international, a World Cup qualifier between Germany and Spain, in October of that year. She also participated at the 2002 edition of the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Sweden. At the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship, Ihringová was awarded the semi–final between Brazil and China.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=108/edition=8311/matches/match=83110024/report.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204235238/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=108/edition=8311/matches/match=83110024/report.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 February 2008|title=Brazil – China PR|publisher=FIFA.com|date=2004-11-24|accessdate=2011-05-09}}

In June 2005 Ihringová was selected to referee the final of UEFA Women's Euro 2005, as Germany defeated Norway at Ewood Park. After switching her allegiance to England, Ihringová refereed the United States' victory over North Korea at Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida, in the final of the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.