Female referee injured in melee during friendly

A friendly football match between French side Metz and Dutch side Fortuna Sittard turned ugly when a female referee was injured in a player melee. Mathilde Demoncay, 26, was knocked to the ground and suffered a concussion as she attempted to break up a confrontation between players.

The incident occurred in the 40th minute when a shirt-tugging incident sparked a confrontation between two opposing players, with others quickly joining the fray. Demoncay, an assistant referee, intervened but fell heavily, remaining on the pitch for several minutes clutching her arm. Assistant referees, security personnel, and medical staff rushed onto the pitch to restore order and assess her condition.

After play resumed, Demoncay continued as an assistant referee but left the field at half-time, with another assistant taking over her duties. Metz won the match 3-1. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of officials on the pitch.