A referee coach has strongly denied allegations that he “manhandled” Women’s Super League (WSL) referee Lisa Benn during a Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) training tournament in March 2023. Benn told an employment tribunal that Steve Child forcefully pushed her while instructing staff on video assistant referee (VAR) procedures.

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Allegations Against Steve Child

Benn, 34, claimed that during the VAR training event, Child pushed and threatened her, describing the incident as both physical and intimidating. She further alleged that the treatment was connected to her gender.

Child, a former Premier League assistant referee, firmly denied the accusations. In his witness statement read to the tribunal, he said:

“100% I did not grab her. It was a guiding arm if anything. I don’t recall putting any physical contact on her.”

He described his actions as “lightly putting an arm across her back in a sense of ‘let’s go’”, asserting there was no malicious intent. Child also denied ever intimidating Benn during a training camp hotel reception in August 2023, suggesting she might have been mistaken.

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Tribunal Proceedings

The tribunal heard arguments from both sides regarding the nature of the contact. Benn’s representative, Carla Fischer, stated:

“A six-foot man who is stressed, who has been told by the claimant to chill, physically moving a five-foot woman onto a pitch…there is absolutely no way this contact could be anything other than grabbing and manhandling, is there?”

Child responded:

“That’s not correct.”

The incidents allegedly occurred during a youth match where a delayed kick-off and a mass brawl added to the high-pressure environment. Child denied making any threatening comments, including telling Benn, “your card has been marked”, after the altercation.

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Background and Wider Claims

Benn claims she unfairly lost her position as a FIFA international referee because she reported Child’s behaviour to PGMOL. She stated that the organisation’s chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb, and his wife Bibi Steinhaus-Webb (then head of women’s referees) had assured her she would not face repercussions for raising concerns.

“There is a fear in the women’s group to raise grievances, to raise concerns, because of the fear of consequences,” Benn told the tribunal.

PGMOL investigated the complaint but concluded that Child’s behaviour did not meet the threshold for disciplinary action.

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Current Status

The employment tribunal is ongoing. Both parties have presented statements, with Child denying all allegations of manhandling, intimidation, and gender-based mistreatment. The tribunal will determine whether Benn’s claims of unfair treatment and harassment have merit.

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Key Takeaways

• Lisa Benn, WSL referee, claims she was pushed by coach Steve Child during a VAR training event.
• Child denies allegations of manhandling or intimidation, calling any contact a “guiding arm.”
• Benn claims she lost her FIFA international role after raising concerns about Child’s behaviour.
• Tribunal hearings continue, with both sides presenting witness statements and evidence.
• PGMOL previously investigated but found no disciplinary threshold was met.