Marta Cabanas | |
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![]() Cabanas in 2024 | |
Born | 1994 |
Nationality | Spanish |
Occupation | Water polo referee |
Marta Cabanas (born 1994) is a Spanish water polo referee, [1] [2] [3] who became the first Spanish and Catalan female referee to officiate at major international competitions under FINA/World Aquatics, including the European Championships, World Championships, and the Olympic Games. [4] [5]
She was born and grown up in Madrid and her parents were both international water polo. At young age she practiced in water polo [6] and around 17 she took a refereeing course with the Catalan Swimming Federation, thus transitioning from player to official. [7] .
She progressed quickly in the national ranks—advancing from category C to A in three years—and by early 2021 joined the LEN international list. In 2022 she was admitted to the FINA/World Aquatics panel earning her distinction as the first female FINA referee from both Catalonia and Spain. [8] [9] She gained her first major appointments at the 2022 European Championships in Split and the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka. [10] [11] She has also refereed high-level club matches in Europe, including men’s LEN Champions League and women’s Euro League contests. [12] . In October 2024 Cabanas officiated in Champions League Women qualification matches. [13]
In March 2024, the World Water Polo Referee Association selected Cabanas as one of 24 officials for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, thus making her the first female Spanish water polo referee at the Olympics. [14] [15] [16] . At Paris she officiated five women’s tournament matches, notably including the bronze-medal final game between the USA and the Netherlands. [17] [18] [19] [20] .
Cabanas has spoken openly about facing discrimination and insults as a female referee, including sexist remarks from spectators, and has emphasized her desire to break barriers and inspire other women to pursue officiating. [21] [22]
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