Allegations of Misconduct Surface in the Women’s Super League Referee Case

Lisa Benn, a referee at the 2022 Women’s European Championship, has made serious allegations against referee coach Steve Child, claiming he “forcefully pushed” her during a training match in March 2023. The match was part of a tournament organized by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to train staff on video assistant referees (VAR).

Benn, 34, asserts that Child’s actions constituted both physical aggression and intimidation, a claim that has prompted an investigation by England’s refereeing body. However, the investigation concluded that Child’s behavior did not warrant disciplinary action.

In his statement to the tribunal, Child firmly denied the allegations, asserting, “100% I did not grab” her, describing his actions as merely a “guiding arm”. He added, “I lightly put an arm across her back in a sense of ‘let’s go'”. Child dismissed Benn’s assertion that his conduct was influenced by her gender, insisting that his intention was solely to expedite the resumption of play after a prior injury had delayed kick-off.

During the tribunal, it was also brought to light that Child denied making a second physical contact with Benn or uttering the phrase, “your card has been marked” in relation to a brawl that occurred at the end of the game. Carla Fischer, representing Benn, characterized the situation as concerning, noting the disparity in their sizes, stating, “A six-foot man who is stressed…physically moving a five-foot woman on to a pitch”.

Child countered her statements by asserting, “That’s not correct”. Additionally, he refuted claims of intimidating Benn during a hotel reception at a training camp in August 2023, suggesting that there may be some confusion on Benn’s part.

Benn further contends that she unjustly lost her position as a FIFA international referee due to her complaints about Child’s alleged behavior to PGMOL. She claims that Howard Webb, the organization’s chief refereeing officer, along with his wife, Bibi Steinhaus-Webb, who was then the head of women’s referees, assured her that there would be no punitive repercussions for speaking out.

Speaking at the tribunal, Benn expressed concern about the prevailing atmosphere within the women’s refereeing group, stating, “There is a fear in the women’s group to raise grievances, to raise concerns, because of the fear of consequences”. The tribunal proceedings are ongoing.