‘She must be on her period’: Referee under fire after alleged remark about South Korean footballer

A South Korean football referee has come under fire after allegedly making an inappropriate remark about a player during a women’s league match on Thursday (Aug 28).The controversy centred on what one media report described as “six words” allegedly spoken over the officiating team’s wireless communication system during the match: “She must be on her period.” According to The Korea Herald, referee Bae Sun-young also allegedly described midfielder Ji So-yun as being particularly “sensitive” during the match.The incident occurred around the 31st minute of a match between Suwon FC Women and Seoul City Hall at Suwon Sports Complex in Gyeonggi Province, when football player Ji So-yun appealed for a foul, according to The Korea Herald. Footage of the incident from a livestream shared on social media showed Ji receiving a yellow card before she approached the bench to speak with coaching staff. She then appeared frustrated before throwing a water bottle onto the ground. Bae then approached the bench and took out a red card but did not show it to Ji, allowing the game to continue.