This post was originally published on this site.
The record-breaking official has issued a statement following the diagnosis
Top rugby referee Aimee Barrett-Theron has stood down from officiating with immediate effect to undergo treatment for breast cancer.
The 39-year-old is the most-capped female referee in international rugby, having taken charge of 52 Tests over the course of her career. A former Springbok XVs and sevens player, Cape Town-based Barrett-Theron also became the first woman to referee a men’s match in South Africa, while she has also officiated in the United Rugby Championship and Women’s Six Nations, as well as at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
She most recently officiated South Africa ‘A”s 40-0 win over Zimbabwe last month, but has now informed World Rugby that she will be unavailable for the foreseeable future after being diagnosed with cancer.
Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news sent straight to your inbox for FREE with our daily newsletter. Sign up here.
In an announcement on Wednesday, Barrett-Theron said: “I wanted to share a personal update. I’ve recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. The good news is that it’s treatable, and I’m working with an incredible team of specialists who are fully aligned with the goal of getting me healthy and back on the field in a few months’ time.
“For now, I’ll be stepping away from refereeing while I focus on treatment and recovery. I’m approaching this the same way I would approach any high-performance environment: with the right team around me, a clear plan, honest conversations, and full commitment to the process.
“Refereeing has taught me a lot about resilience, discipline, pressure, and backing yourself when things get tough,” she added. “Being South African probably helps too! I was determined to make it through the ranks as a referee and now I’m even more determined to get through this and return to the field stronger.
“Thank you for the support, love, and understanding. I’ll share updates when I can, but for now my focus is on treatment, recovery, and getting back to doing what I love. I found this through a self-check, so please let this be your reminder: check yourself, listen to your body, and don’t delay getting anything unusual looked at.”
Paying tribute to Barrett-Theron, World Rugby chair Brett Robinson added: “I know that I speak for the global rugby family in extending our love and support for Aimee as she begins her treatment.
“Aimee is an exemplar of the values of our sport, an exceptional role model and a wonderful person, who demonstrates a steely determination to be a top international referee. We know that she will approach her treatment in the same way.
“Match officiating is a tight family, and Aimee knows that she has the full support of everyone in the World Rugby match officiating family, and World Rugby colleagues,” he continued. “We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing Aimee back in the middle doing what she does so brilliantly soon.”
South African Rugby Union president Mark Alexander added: “Aimee has been a resolute and focused trail-blazer on the field and we know she will approach her treatment with the same determination and single-mindedness.
“She has had to overcome many, many barriers to reach the level of refereeing she has and we know she will take this next challenge in her stride. We wish her Godspeed in her recovery and look forward to seeing her back on the field at some point in the future.”
Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.
