A female referee reportedly sustained a concussion after being knocked over during a melee in a men's friendly soccer match in France. The incident occurred Sunday during a match between French Ligue 2 side Metz and Dutch opponent Fortuna Sittard.
Referee Mathilde Demoncay, 26, was officiating when she blew for a free kick in the 39th minute following a foul by a Metz player. The fouled Fortuna Sittard player then confronted two Metz players, escalating into a larger brawl as players from both teams joined in. Demoncay attempted to intervene and break up the fight but was knocked backward as more players surged into the melee. Footage of the incident suggests Demoncay may have hit her head on the ground upon falling.
One Fortuna Sittard player noticed Demoncay was down and signaled for medical assistance. Medical staff, assistant referees, and security personnel entered the field to attend to her. While unclear from the footage, one player was seen signaling for medical attention with Demoncay appearing to have hit her head on the ground after falling.
Demoncay was assessed by medical staff and was unable to continue the match. One of her assistants took over officiating duties. The incident occurred near a sign that read 'respect the referee.' Following the melee, two players were booked.
Fortuna Sittard described the event as a "remarkable moment" on their club website. Metz, who were leading 1-0 at the time of the incident, went on to win the friendly match 3-1.