Female Referee Suffers Concussion In Melee During Preseason Friendly

French referee Mathilde Demoncay suffered a concussion after being knocked to the ground while trying to break up a player melee during a pre-season friendly match between French club Metz and Dutch side Fortuna Sittard.

The situation began in the 40th minute of the first half when players from both teams engaged in a war of nerves by pulling each other’s jerseys.

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Instantly, other players joined in, and the atmosphere on the pitch turned hostile.

Referee Demets intervened to calm the situation but fell hard to the ground, caught in the middle of the players.

She lay on the pitch for several minutes clutching her arm, and the assistant referee, security personnel, and medical staff rushed in to handle the situation and check on her condition.