As absurd as sexual harassment remarks, controversy over a female soccer referee using a red card for 'threatening' purposes

*This content was translated by AI.

Controversy is escalating after it was revealed that a female referee made sexual harassment remarks toward a player in the WK League, the top women's industrial soccer league in South Korea. The referee reportedly made comments implying that Ji So-yun (Suwon FC Women's) was being overly sensitive and mentioned "menstruation" while she protested a refereeing decision. The issue is not limited to the sexual harassment remarks themselves; there is also significant criticism regarding the attempt to pressure her with a red card in response to her protest.

Here is what happened. On the 28th, it was the first half of the regular season match between Suwon FC Women's and Seoul City Hall at Suwon Sports Complex in the 2026 WK League. According to Suwon FC Women's club officials and soccer industry sources, Ji So-yun heard referee Bae Seon-young say, "She has been overly sensitive about calls from the start. She must be on her period," while protesting a refereeing decision. Ji So-yun immediately followed the referee to protest. The protest was not aggressive. Ji So-yun addressed the referee as "teacher" and sought confirmation of the remarks made at that time.

What Ji So-yun received in return was a yellow card. When the ball became dead, referee Bae Seon-young immediately turned around and issued a warning to Ji So-yun. Undeterred, Ji So-yun continued her protests. She informed her bench about the absurd remarks she had heard, prompting the Suwon FC Women's bench to begin protesting as well. The ripple effect grew larger.

Ji So-yun repeatedly sought confirmation of the remarks from referee Bae Seon-young. According to club and player sources, the referee initially denied making the comments but eventually clarified that it was a conversation she had shared with other referees. Although she did not directly address Ji So-yun, the implication was that she communicated with fellow referees while linking her protest of refereeing decisions to menstruation.

Subsequently, after conversing with the assistant referee, Ji So-yun ultimately expressed her "anger" by throwing a water bottle onto the field. Referee Bae Seon-young, witnessing this scene, immediately blew her whistle and then pulled out a red card from her back pocket. It appeared to be a dismissal decision for throwing a water bottle after protesting a call despite having already received one warning. Commentators also noted referee Bae's action of pulling out the red card, stating, "A red card is about to come out."

Situation in the 33rd minute of the first half with the score tied at 0-0. If Ji So-yun had been sent off, it would have been a fatal blow for Suwon FC Women's. This would have affected not only that day's match but also the next one as well. Other Suwon FC Women's players, including Kwon Eun-som who saw the red card, ultimately stood between the referee and Ji So-yun to calm the situation down, while Kim Hye-ri tried to soothe Ji So-yun. Afterward, Ji So-yun and referee Bae Seon-young engaged in a lengthy conversation. Throughout the entire dialogue, referee Bae held the red card in her right hand.

However, referee Bae Seon-young never showed the red card to anyone, including Ji So-yun. Once the situation calmed down, she simply put the red card back into her back pocket and resumed the match. It is a very unusual scene for a referee to pull out a yellow or red card, not show it to anyone, and then put it back in without issuing it. If referee Bae had judged Ji So-yun's act of throwing a water bottle as a "dismissable offense" immediately after blowing her whistle and pulling the red card from her pocket, she should have shown the red card directly. Alternatively, before pulling out the card, she should have first given a firm warning gesture verbally or with hand signals.

Of course, there are no regulations stating that a referee cannot pull a card out of their pocket and put it back in without showing it to anyone. However, simply holding a red card while confronting a player who is protesting inevitably leads to criticism that the red card was used as a "tool for intimidation." Completely separate from the sexual harassment remarks, this action by referee Bae Seon-young, which deviated from standard refereeing procedures, could also spark controversy regarding the appropriateness of the referee's conduct.

Suwon FC Women's club plans to formally protest to the Korea Football Association and the Korea Women's Football League by compiling a summary of the situation at the scene. The Korea Women's Football League also intends to investigate the situation after reviewing referee reports and evaluator reports, which are accessible only through the Korea Football Association. Referee Bae Seon-young was promoted last year and has served as a main referee in the WK League. In December last year, she received the "Outstanding Female Referee Award" at the Korea Football Association's referee conference.

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*This content was translated by AI.