Most people believe that basketball is a male-dominated kind of sport. This study sought to know the experiences of female referees in men’s basketball in the Philippines; to identify if female referees experienced gender abuse; to determine the problems they encountered; and to know how they coped with these problems. Using qualitative research method, experiences of the six female referees in the Philippines were determined and documented. Through the use of purposive sampling, participants and key informants were identified. Local, professional, new, experienced, and former female referees together with the key informants who have significant knowledge about the participants were interviewed one-on-one with the help of the validated self-made interview guide questions. Female referees’ experiences are commonly linked with the coaches, spectators, and the pressure of the game, but still and all officiating for them is fun. The experiences of some female referees who claimed in experiencing gender abuse such as touching, persistence cannot be considered forms of abuse but more on harassment. The problems of female referees are mostly verbal bullying, unequal physical strength, and attitude of the player, coach, and audience. In coping problems female referees do it in an intrinsic way, by determining the cause and effect and learning from it and motivating oneself.
