Female referee injured in melee during friendly
A female assistant referee was left injured and had to briefly leave the pitch after being caught up in a melee during a pre-season friendly between France's Metz and the Netherlands' Fortuna Sittard. Mathilde Demoncay, 26, reportedly suffered concussion after being knocked to the ground while trying to intervene in a confrontation between players, highlighting the physical risks match officials can face even in low-stakes fixtures.
The incident occurred in the 40th minute after a shirt-tugging altercation between two opposing players escalated, with others rushing in to join the confrontation. Demoncay fell heavily and remained on the ground for several minutes holding her arm while assistant referees, security and medical staff attended to her. She continued in her role once play resumed but withdrew at half-time, being replaced by another assistant; Metz went on to win the match 3-1.
- Assistant referee Mathilde Demoncay hurt breaking up player melee.
- Reportedly suffered concussion; left pitch at half-time.
- Metz beat Fortuna Sittard 3-1 in the friendly.
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A female assistant referee was injured during a friendly match between French club Metz and Dutch side Fortuna Sittard. Mathilde Demoncay, aged 26, suffered a concussion after being knocked to the ground whilst intervening in a player confrontation.
Friendly matches are non-competitive fixtures that teams play to prepare for their competitive season. They do not count towards league standings or cup competitions, yet teams still employ professional match officials, including assistant referees who watch from the sidelines.
The incident highlights the physical risks that assistant referees face in their role. They sometimes must intervene in player confrontations to maintain order, exposing them to injury despite not being participants in the match itself.