A prominent female football official, Lisa Benn, has alleged that a Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) referee coach, Steve Child, "forcefully pushed her" and that his behavior was influenced by her gender. The 34-year-old Women's Super League official claims she faced harassment and unfairly lost her position as an international referee after lodging a complaint against Child. Benn is currently presenting her case at a South London employment tribunal.

The incident in question reportedly occurred in 2023 during a PGMO-organized tournament designed to train staff on Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, which was not yet in use in the women's game. Due to a serious injury, the schedule was delayed, and Benn stated that Child took on a leadership role but appeared "flustered" and "stressed". She alleges that Child grabbed her arm and "forcefully pushed" her onto the pitch to expedite the game's restart. Benn acknowledged that Child said something along the lines of "come on let's go" but responded by holding up her palm and telling him to "chill".

Benn also testified that Child told her "your card has been marked". She believes this was a direct result of her gender and a sign of escalating harassment within the organization.

Jesse Crozier, representing PGMO, suggested that Child's actions were simply an attempt to usher her onto the pitch with his arm behind her while saying "come on let's go".

Following the incident, Benn lodged a formal complaint. While a PGMO investigation acknowledged the event, it concluded that Child's behavior did not warrant disciplinary action. Benn claims that Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer for PGMO, and Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb, then the head of women's referees, assured her she would not be penalized for speaking out.

However, in her witness statement, Benn contends that PGMO subsequently lowered their recommendations for her, costing her a coveted spot on FIFA's international referee list. She argues that this was a direct consequence of her complaint and a form of retaliation from the organization.

The tribunal is expected to hear further evidence and arguments in the coming days as it seeks to determine whether Benn was subjected to harassment and unfair treatment, and whether her career prospects were negatively impacted as a result of her complaint. The outcome of the tribunal could have significant implications for the PGMO and its handling of complaints, as well as broader implications for gender equality within football officiating.