19 March 2019 

International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8 March every year and is a focal point in the movement of women’s rights.  This year’s campaign theme of #BalanceforBetter is a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world. 

Athletics prides itself on being a gender balanced sport and our officials play a major part in achieving this, where currently there are 59% male and 41% female officials in the UK.  In support of International Women’s Day 2019, throughout March, we will feature Officials across the UK to celebrate them and their commitment to athletics.  

Julie Dew 

What is your role as an official?
I am a Level 4 field official & Level 2 Track Official.               

How long have you been officiating?
I’ve been an official since 1995 (27 years).

What inspired you to become an official?
My children wanted to join an athletics club. I used to go to allt heir events, sitting watching, money in one hand and lunch in the other whilst being told ‘don’t talk to me mother I am with my friends’. 

I was approached by an official to help and I raked a long jump pit and I was hooked!

What would you say to anyone wanting to get into officiating?
I would encourage them to come to the club and shadow an official trying different disciplines.

What has been the highlight of your officiating career?
Without a doubt judging at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Being part of a family, I’ve made some good friends. Also, it is good to be part of an athlete’s journey.

What can we do as a sport to achieve a #BetterBalance in officiating?
Encourage young athletes to look at the other side of their events, how judging is done. Have an open event for interested would be officials to shadow and to see how the job is done. I was very lucky to have some very good officials to learn from and nothing was too much trouble to answer any questions I had and to always encourage me in my interest.

Find out more about International Women’s Day here. 

If you want to get involved in officiating, find out more information here.