South Korea women's football body probes 'period' insult

Seoul - South Korea's women's football federation is investigating allegations that a female referee insulted former Chelsea player Ji So-yun during a domestic game by mentioning she was on her period. The incident occurred on Friday in a WK League match between Ji's Suwon FC Women and Seoul City Hall, where the official was reprimanded for allegedly confronting the referee over the comment.

The federation stated that once the facts are determined, appropriate action will be taken, and measures will be implemented to prevent future occurrences. Ji, 35 years old, told a South Korean sports outlet that she overheard the referee say the remark over the communication system used by officials. The situation arose when Ji sought a penalty for her team.

She confronted the official, who allegedly said, "She's been touchy since the start, she must be on her period." When Ji protested, she received a yellow card. The Korea Football Association's refereeing department claimed that the word "period" was not used in the radio communication and that the remark did not specifically refer to Ji.

However, the KWFF clarified that the term used was "girl's day," a euphemism for menstruation. Suwon FC subsequently requested the KWFF and the Korea Football Association (KFA) investigate and take appropriate action, emphasizing the importance of dignity, respect, and trust among league members and the fair operation of WK League matches.