Kerem Demirbay forced to referee girls’ game after insulting female official

Fortuna Dusseldorf’s Kerem Demirbay got an unusual punishment for insulting a female referee last week when the second-tier club made him take charge of a girls’ game on Saturday.

The Turkish youth international had reportedly told referee Bibi Steinhaus in last week’s game against FSV Frankfurt that women had no place in men’s football after being sent off with a second booking.

On Saturday he was the referee in the D-junior league encounter between Haan 06 and Langenfeld before posing with the teams for photos.

“This is what happens when young players make mistakes,” Fortuna said in a post on Facebook.

Demirbay, still awaiting sanction by the German FA for his comments, has repeatedly apologised but did not say exactly what he had told the referee.

‘I was very emotional [last] Sunday, because the game was super important for us as a team. I overreacted and had my emotions in this fighting game simply not under control. I’m really very sorry.

‘I personally apologised yesterday and am very pleased that she [Steinhaus] has accepted my apology.’

“I should never have said this sentence and it does not reflect my image of women.”