Deniz Aytekin and Katrin Rafalski are the "DFB Referees of the Year 2022". Both have been honored for the second time in their careers: Aytekin in 2019, Rafalski in 2015. The elite referees say the title is by no means less important.
Deniz Aytekin says: "We saw so many great referees and very good refereeing performances in the past season, there were other colleagues who certainly deserved this award. In this respect, the honor of DFB Referee of the Year 2022 is very special for me, I'm really happy." The 43-year-old FIFA referee sees the award as "an incredible appreciation of our performance as a team last season. With Christian Dietz and Markus Sinn, I have two wonderful assistants who not only stand out for their performance on the field, but also bring an incredible empathy - they share the joy and the difficult moments with me. That connects us so strongly and allows us to achieve a special performance in special games."
Lutz Michael Fröhlich, Managing Director of Sport and Communication at DFB Schiri GmbH, says: "Deniz Aytekin is a referee who is highly valued by everyone. With his appearance on the field and in public in general, he is an excellent ambassador for the referees. In his communication, he is modern and diverse, with a positive image for the referee job and the necessary focus for referees. This is reflected in his overall very good 2021/2022 season - including challenging games in the DFB Cup semi-final between the Hamburger SV and SC Freiburg and the relegation second leg between HSV and Hertha BSC."
Katrin Rafalski explains: "I'm really happy and very proud. I'm grateful to everyone who has accompanied me on my way and always supported me." The 40-year-old referee has been working mainly as an assistant for several years, "so the award is also a great appreciation for the work of assistant referees." Her next goals are a successful European Women's Championship and a "good transition" into the new season. "Of course, I hope to take part in the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand," said Rafalski. "But above all is health."
Christine Baitinger, who is responsible for the women referees on the DFB referees committee, congratulates the award winner: "Katrin Rafalski has been a regular fixture in the women's Bundesliga for years. As an assistant in the Second Bundesliga for men, she is one of our most successful referees. Despite a busy schedule, she always finds the time to support our young referees on and off the pitch - at matches and with training. This is very important for the overall development of the referees. We are therefore proud and grateful to have Katrin in our ranks. Sporty and above all human, she deserves this award."
Source: DFB