A female referee, Mathilde Demoncay, suffered a concussion after being knocked down while trying to break up a confrontation during a friendly match between French side Metz and Dutch club Fortuna Sittard.
The incident occurred in the 40th minute after tensions escalated from a shirt-pulling exchange between players. The situation quickly turned into a mass confrontation, with several players rushing in.
Demoncay stepped in to restore order but was caught in the middle of the melee and fell heavily to the ground. She remained on the pitch for several minutes, holding her arm, as medical staff and officials attended to her and worked to calm the situation.
The 26-year-old briefly returned to her role as assistant referee after receiving treatment but was unable to continue after halftime and was replaced.
The match later resumed, with Metz securing a 3–1 victory over Fortuna Sittard.
The incident highlights the risks match officials face when intervening in heated on-field confrontations.
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