Referee Coach Denies 'man-handling' Wsl Official

A referee coach has denied "manhandling" Women's Super League referee Lisa Benn aft she told an employment tribunal that he "forcefully pushed" her during a match.

Benn, 34, claims she was pushed and threatened by Steve Child during a tourney organised by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to train unit connected video adjunct referees (VAR) successful March 2023.

English football's refereeing assemblage investigated nan title but recovered Child's behaviour did not meet nan period for disciplinary action.

In his tribunal witnesser statement, quoted to nan sheet connected Wednesday, Child said "100% I did not grab" her, it was a "guiding limb if anything" but "I don't callback putting immoderate beingness interaction connected her".

"I lightly put an limb crossed her backmost successful a consciousness of 'let's go'," nan erstwhile Premier League adjunct referee added.

Child refuted Benn's accusation that his curen of her was "because she is simply a woman".

Kick-off had been delayed by an earlier wounded and a southbound London employment tribunal heard Child was trying to velocity up nan commencement of play.

He denied grabbing Benn a 2nd clip and saying "your paper has been marked" aft a wide brawl collapsed retired astatine nan extremity of nan fractious younker game.

Carla Fischer, for Benn, said: "A six-foot man who is stressed, who has been told by nan claimant to chill, physically moving a five-foot female connected to a pitch."

She added: "There is perfectly nary measurement this interaction could beryllium thing different than grabbing and manhandling, is there?"

Child replied: "That's not correct."

He besides denied intimidating Benn successful nan edifice reception astatine a training campy they some attended connected 19 August, 2023, saying: "I deliberation that mightiness beryllium a disorder connected Lisa's part."

Benn claims she unfairly mislaid her position arsenic a Fifa world referee because she complained astir his behaviour to PGMOL.

She alleged she had been told by nan organisation's main refereeing officer, Howard Webb, and his woman Bibi Steinhaus-Webb - past nan caput of women's referees - she would not beryllium punished for coming forward.

"There is simply a fearfulness successful nan women's group to raise grievances, to raise concerns, because of nan fearfulness of consequences," Benn told nan proceeding connected Tuesday.

The tribunal continues.