After She Protested, She Was Mocked With "Maybe She's on Her Period" and Then Shown a Yellow Card: The Ordeal Faced by "Ji Messi" Ji So-yun

[Financial News] A controversy is erupting after allegations that a female referee in a WK League match made a sexist remark to veteran national team player Ji So-yun, 35, of Suwon FC Women, while she was protesting a call.
The Korea Pro Footballers Association said this incident was not a simple dispute over a call, but a serious human rights violation and an abuse of power. It strongly called for the referee's immediate removal and a full overhaul.
According to the football community and the players' association on the 31st, Ji So-yun strongly protested the referee's decision about 30 minutes into the first half of the match between Suwon FC Women and Seoul Metropolitan Government at Suwon Sports Complex on the 28th, and play was stopped for about four minutes.
At the time, Ji So-yun was protesting a rough foul by an opposing player when she directly heard referee Bae Seon-young say, in a radio exchange with another assistant referee, "She's been sensitive from the start. Maybe she's on her period."
When an enraged Ji So-yun protested, "Ma'am, if you say things like that, you could be disciplined," Bae reportedly pulled out a yellow card and even threatened to send her off while holding a red card in her hand.
Bae initially denied making the remark at all, but as the protests grew stronger, she explained that "we were just talking among ourselves as referees." The KFA refereeing team also said, "We did not use direct words in the communication, and we did not single out any player." However, it was later revealed that they had actually used the slang term 'Girls' Day,' a euphemism for menstruation.
Critics say that merely softening the wording does not change the essence of the issue: belittling a player's legitimate protest over a call from a sexual perspective.
The players' association issued an official statement that day, demanding an immediate investigation and disciplinary action. Lee Keun-ho, the association's president, sharply criticized the referee, saying, "A referee who should protect players closest to the field instead inflicted irreparable shame on a specific player in front of both teams and abused power by wielding cards as a weapon."
Secretary General Kim Hoon-gi also said, "Even players on the opposing team were stunned by the unbelievable words that came out of the referee's mouth," and stressed, "That referee must be immediately removed from the pitch and referred to the KSOC Sports Fairness Committee for the highest level of severe punishment."
The players' association plans to work with FIFPRO on the matter and share it with FIFA and the AFC. Suwon FC Women has formally requested an investigation from the Korea Women's Football Federation and the KFA, and the federation also plans to discuss follow-up measures based on reports from the match commissioner and the referees.
Meanwhile, Ji So-yun, who holds the record for the most appearances for South Korea's women's national team with 176 matches and the most goals with 75, is known as "Ji Messi," a nickname inspired by Lionel Messi. She scored the winning goal in the second half to lead her team to a 2-1 victory, but the unjust yellow card she received during the match added to her accumulated cautions and forced her to miss the next game.
[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter