Non-league Match abandoned after ‘sexist’ abuse of referee according to a statement by the football club..
According to a football club, a non-league game was called off after a female referee was allegedly the target of sexist insults.
The Coventry Sphinx game was cancelled at halftime, according to AFC Rushden & Diamonds, when she was the target of a “sexist nature” remark from the audience.
“Deeply concerned and disappointed” was how the Northamptonshire side put it.
A spokesperson said it would “take the strongest possible action” if it established the person responsible was associated with the club.
“A comment of a sexist nature was allegedly directed toward the female match official towards the end of the first half,” said an AFC Rushden & Diamonds spokesperson, in a statement posted on X.
“Discriminatory language or actions of any kind have absolutely no place within our community club or the wider football community.”
After the game, Diamonds first team manager Elliot Sandy told the club’s internal media that the referee halted play while the offender was taken off the field.
He claimed that although the game was restarted, she informed the squad at halftime that she did not feel safe going on.
“I obviously condemn what’s happened today; there’s no place for it in football and I feel really sorry for her that it has actually happened,” said Sandy.