Céline Darveau is an iconic figure in Canadian judo, recognized for her outstanding contributions as a pioneer in women’s refereeing. Originally from Quebec, she was one of the first women to earn a black belt in Canada and the first Canadian female referee.
In 2007, in recognition of her dedication and impact on judo in Canada, Céline Darveau was inducted into the Judo Canada Hall of Fame in the Builder category.
That is a lot of first for women!
- First female kata instructor in the province of Quebec
- First female member of the Judo Québec board of directors
- First female referee at a provincial and international men’s tournament
- First female international referee in Canada (Munich 2001)
- First female member of the Grading Commission
- First female president of the Provincial Referees Commission
👉 In Quebec, Céline Darveau, one of the first female black belts, later became the first Canadian female referee, starting as a referee in 1972