Swiss referee Désirée Blanco has announced her immediate retirement from professional football officiating at age 43 due to ongoing heart issues, following medical advice and recent abnormalities discovered during a cardiological examination, according to the Swiss Football Association and reports from Blick.
Medical Concerns and the Decision to Step Down
Blanco has lived and worked with a pacemaker for the past four years, a device implanted to regulate her heart rhythm while managing the extreme physical demands of top-flight officiating. However, routine monitoring revealed concerning irregularities.
“There they told me that this has to do with the intensive training,” Blanco told the Swiss newspaper Blick, describing a regime so demanding that she often could not eat for three hours after sessions.
To cope with the physical strain, Blanco adjusted her training schedule, but the changes disrupted her preparation and mental sharpness on the pitch. “After I changed the routine, the focus during the matches was no longer the same. I was no longer ready in my head and in my legs. I had to say: It doesn’t work anymore,” Blanco explained.
The Swiss Football Association released a statement detailing her choice to walk away. “As much as I love top-tier football and refereeing, I don’t want to put my health at risk,” Blanco stated, noting that new responsibilities in her family and professional life also factored into her decision.
A Trailblazing Career in Swiss and European Football
Blanco’s final appearance on the pitch came last weekend during the Swiss Super League fixture between FC Basel and FC Lugano, marking the end of a notable officiating journey. A former Swiss national team player, Blanco achieved FIFA referee status in 2012.
Throughout her career, she officiated 23 matches in the Swiss top flight. She also reached the international stage by handling two matches at the UEFA Women’s Euro tournament hosted in Switzerland.
“It was anything but easy and makes me enormously proud to have come this far,” Blanco reflected on her years in the middle. Refereeing, she added, gave her “countless wonderful moments” and formed a vital part of her life, making it difficult to draw a final curtain on that chapter.
