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French referee Mathilde Demoncay suffered a concussion after being knocked to the ground while trying to break up a player melee during a pre-season friendly match between French club Metz and Dutch side Fortuna Sittard.
The situation began in the 40th minute of the first half when players from both teams engaged in a war of nerves by pulling each other’s jerseys.
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Instantly, other players joined in, and the atmosphere on the pitch turned hostile.
Referee Demets intervened to calm the situation but fell hard to the ground, caught in the middle of the players.
She lay on the pitch for several minutes clutching her arm, and the assistant referee, security personnel, and medical staff rushed in to handle the situation and check on her condition.
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Although she initially resumed her duties as an assistant referee after play restarted, Demoncay was forced to leave the field at half-time.
Fortuna Sittard, who lost the game 3-1, described the episode as a remarkable moment in their match report but offered no further comment.
