Referee Alleges Physical Confrontation and Gender Bias
A prominent female football referee has testified that a male coach physically manhandled her during a youth match, behaviour she claims was influenced by her gender. Lisa Benn, a 34-year-old official for the Women's Super League, gave evidence at a south London employment tribunal on Monday, 17 November 2025.
Ms Benn alleges that Steve Child, a coach for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and a former Premier League assistant referee, forcefully pushed her onto the pitch during a PGMOL-organised tournament on 29 March 2023. The event was designed to train staff on VAR technology, which was not yet used in the women's game.
Heated Exchange and Career Fallout
The tribunal heard that the schedule was delayed by a serious injury, and Ms Benn stated Mr Child was "flustered, he was stressed, he was charging around all over the place". She alleges he grabbed her arm and pushed her, an action she insists he would not have taken with a male colleague.
The situation escalated when Mr Child instructed a fourth official, Ruby Sykes, to tell Ms Benn to "kill the game". This prompted Ms Benn to respond "don't tell me how to referee" and "f*** off" via the communications system. She explained the distraction was unwelcome as she was managing a challenging match and adjusting to new VAR principles.
Following a mass brawl at the end of the game, Ms Benn claims Mr Child grabbed her arm again and told her, "your card has been marked" and called her "bloody minded", with his eyes "bulging out of his head".
Failed Complaint and Lost FIFA Position
Despite assurances from PGMOL's chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb, and his wife Bibi Steinhaus-Webb, that she would not be punished for complaining, Ms Benn claims the organisation subsequently failed to recommend her as highly as before. She alleges this directly led to her unfairly losing her position on FIFA's prestigious international referee list.
A PGMOL investigation previously concluded that Mr Child's behaviour did not meet the threshold for disciplinary action. During cross-examination, PGMOL's barrister, Jesse Crozier, suggested the alleged push was merely an ushering motion and that such a forceful act would have been witnessed by others, a claim Ms Benn firmly rejected. The tribunal continues.
