Former Premier League referee Howard Webb is set to appear in court next week to defend the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) against allegations of unfair dismissal made by Women’s Super League referee Lisa Benn. Benn, 34, claims her career was sidelined after she reported being physically manhandled and threatened by PGMOL coach and former assistant referee Steve Child during a men’s tournament in 2023.
Benn alleges that the incident led to her losing her place on the FIFA list of referees and a £20,000 annual salary from the PGMOL, despite assurances from Webb and his wife, Bibi Steinhaus-Webb, who was head of women’s referees at the time. A PGMOL investigation in 2023 reportedly found that Child’s behaviour did not meet the threshold for disciplinary action.
Benn had ranked fifth among top officials in the Women’s Super League and was nominated by the Football Association based on her performance over the previous two years. However, she was not selected for one of five available FIFA spots for English referees. The FA submitted six names to FIFA in December 2023, with Benn placed sixth. Documents reportedly show Webb, who served on the FA’s refereeing committee, was party to that decision as early as August 2023.
After losing her FIFA spot, Benn lost her PGMOL salary and became self-employed at the start of 2024, relying solely on match fees. She finished second in the rankings for the 2023-24 season but was again overlooked for FIFA nomination. She has taken charge of 11 games last season and none so far this term.
Benn has filed an unfair dismissal complaint, and the case is listed for an employment court hearing on Monday, where Webb is expected to give evidence on behalf of PGMOL. The PGMOL denies all of Benn’s claims. If successful, Benn could receive compensation for direct discrimination, harassment, victimisation, unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, and unlawful deduction of wages.
