Referee Suffered Head Injury in Player Fight, Kept Officiating Until Half-Time

Referee Mathilde Demoncay, 26, suffered a concussion — a brain injury from a blow to the head — breaking up a player fight during a July 25 exhibition match in Forbach, France. She returned to officiate before being pulled at half-time. Safety rules updated in 2023 protect players, not referees. Whether that changes remains open.