South Korean Referee Faces Disciplinary Hearing Over Alleged Menstruation Remark Directed at Ji So-yun

For a referee's authority to hold on a football pitch, the players must believe the officiating is rooted in the rules of the game, not their biology. On August 28, that baseline was shattered during a WK League match in Suwon, prompting South Korea's all-time leading scorer to force a public reckoning.

Ji So-yun, the 35-year-old Suwon FC Women midfielder and former Chelsea star, formally protested after a match official allegedly attributed her on-pitch complaints to her menstrual cycle. The confrontation has since escalated into a national debate over accountability, pushing the Korea Football Association (KFA) to open disciplinary proceedings against the referee.[1][4][5]

The dispute ignited around the 30th minute of the 22nd round of the 2026 WK League season, during Suwon's regular-season clash against Seoul City Hall. After Ji appealed for a penalty following a series of rough tackles, referee Bae Sun-young allegedly communicated over the officials' radio system that the midfielder had "been touchy since the start" and "must be on her period." The Korea Women's Football Federation (KWFF) later clarified that the specific phrase used was "girl's day," a Korean euphemism for menstruation.[1][4][6]

Overhearing the transmission, a visibly frustrated Ji confronted Bae directly on the pitch. "Referee, what did you just say? If you say such things, it is grounds for disciplinary action," Ji reportedly stated during the heated exchange. The altercation caused a four-minute pause in the match as players and staff reacted to the confrontation.

In frustration, Ji threw a water bottle as she approached the Suwon bench, prompting Bae to walk toward her. The official initially appeared to reach for a red card before ultimately deciding to issue a yellow card for the reaction.[4][6]

The booking carried immediate sporting consequences, triggering an automatic suspension for yellow-card accumulation that ruled Ji out of a crucial September 2 match against Hwacheon KSPO. However, the structural fallout has been far more significant than a single-game absence. Suwon FC Women formally requested that both the KWFF and the KFA establish the facts and take appropriate action. The club submitted detailed statements from players, coaches, and officials present at the match to support their formal complaint against the refereeing crew.[2][6]

In response to the escalating situation, the Korea Pro-Footballers Association (KPFA) issued a blistering public statement on September 1, defining the incident not as a simple officiating dispute but as a serious human rights violation. The players' union called for Bae to be permanently banned from officiating in the league. "The case must bypass the KFA and be referred directly to the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee's Sports Fair Committee to hand down the maximum penalty," the KPFA stated, arguing that the remark constituted clear sexual harassment.[6]

The officiating team has strongly contested the nature and intent of the remarks. Following the match, Bae initially denied making the comment entirely before reportedly stating it was merely a private conversation among the refereeing crew. The KFA's refereeing department further defended the official, asserting that the specific word "period" was not explicitly used over the radio system. They maintained that the euphemism employed was not directed at any specific player on the pitch, but rather described the general atmosphere of the match.[1][4]

A senior KFA official and Bae subsequently visited the Suwon FC club facilities to offer an explanation, reiterating that the words were aimed at all 22 players present rather than Ji personally. The KPFA swiftly criticized this defense, noting that the justification only worsened the situation. "Rather than resolving the situation, this explanation has raised further concerns regarding the Referee Committee's perception of this issue," the union stated, emphasizing that dismissing players' concerns as collective emotional sensitivity is fundamentally unacceptable.[3][4]

For Ji, who has earned 176 caps and scored 75 goals for her country, the explanation fell entirely flat. Speaking to reporters on September 7 ahead of the national team's training camp for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, she expressed her profound disappointment with the process. "I met them because they said they came to apologize. But to be honest, I cannot say I received an apology," Ji stated. "It felt more like they were offering an explanation rather than an apology, which made my heart even heavier."[1][3]

The veteran midfielder noted that her 15-year professional career—which includes highly successful stints in Japan, England, and the United States—provided her the necessary platform to challenge the official. "A younger player probably would not have been able to say anything in response," she pointed out, adding that she was "flabbergasted" by the comment despite her extensive experience navigating the pressures of global leagues and international tournaments.[1][4]

The KFA has now officially referred the case to its disciplinary committee, though a specific date for the hearing has not been publicly set. Concurrently, the KWFF has committed to establishing follow-up measures to prevent similar occurrences, emphasizing that the incident directly impacts player dignity and mutual respect. The federation stated that once the facts are fully established, practical measures will be introduced to ensure strict accountability across the league.[4][5]

For Ji, the ultimate goal is systemic change rather than individual retribution against a single official. "Anybody can make mistakes. I just hope a mistake like this will not be repeated," she remarked during the national team camp. As she prepares for what will likely be her sixth and final Asian Games, Ji hopes the controversy serves as a lasting catalyst to foster a culture of mutual respect between referees and players across the South Korean football landscape.[1][3]