What is SPIRIT?
SPIRIT is the European Squash Federation’s project to achieve greater diversity in squash refereeing. Its focus areas are recruitment, retention and career progression of female squash officials.
Co-funded by Erasmus+ (the EU programme that supports education, training, youth and sport in Europe) SPIRIT will assess the current barriers and challenges women face in refereeing, and use these insights to develop targeted training, mentorship and support programmes.
SPIRIT will provide practical, structured pathways for women in officiating, ensuring sustainable change that long outlives the project.
How will SPIRIT work?
1. Understand
Through surveys, focus groups and a research report, we’ll produce the first European overview on women in squash refereeing.
2. Design
We’ll shape a referee training curriculum for new and existing women officials that addresses current challenges and helps create a more inclusive and supportive environment.
3. Test
The curriculum will be rigorously tested in two physical pilots by Czech Squash and Squash Ireland and will be open to women referees from across Europe.
4. Share
To help make it useful for everyone, we’ll produce a practical toolkit, policy report, and a multiplier event open to every ESF Member Nation.
Who will deliver SPIRIT?
– European Squash Federation (ESF) – with the project led by Catherine Ezvan, ESF Vice-President and Chair of the ESF Refereeing Committee.
– International Federation for Sports Officials (IFSO) – providing expertise on officiating in all sports and dissemination of the project’s findings across other sporting organisations
– Natsionalna Sportna Akademiya Vassil Levski (NSA) – Bulgaria-based specialists in research, administration and project organisation in sport
– Czech Squash Association and Squash Ireland – two ESF Member Nation Federations who will be involved during the pilot test phase of the project
– Additionally, renowned referees Andrea Santamaria, Roy Gingell and Marko Podgorsek will act as mentors, coaches and role models to the participants.
The project began on 1 January 2026 and initial outcomes will be presented at the ESF AGM in 2027.
