Female referee Mathilde Demoncay suffered a concussion after being knocked to the ground during a men's friendly football match between French club Metz and Dutch side Fortuna Sittard. The incident occurred when Demoncay attempted to intervene in a scuffle that erupted following a foul. Overwhelmed by the escalating melee, she fell and was later diagnosed with a concussion. Demoncay was helped off the pitch, though she returned as an assistant referee for the remainder of the half before sitting out. Metz ultimately won the match 3-1. The friendly fixture, held in eastern France, saw the altercation ignite in the 38th minute. Players from both teams apologized to Demoncay, who is a "federal women’s referee two" in France, officiating in top and second division matches. The incident gained significant attention on social media, drawing criticism for the players' conduct.