Referees' chief Howard Webb has denied that his former staff member lost her position as an international football referee because she complained a coach "manhandled" her.

Lisa Benn, 34, alleges she was grabbed and threatened by an assistant referee coach and unfairly lost her position on FIFA's international officials list because she lodged a grievance.

Months after the incident, Benn went from fifth to sixth in Professional Game Match Officials Limited's (PGMOL) nominations to the football governing body.

PGMOL's chief refereeing officer Webb, himself previously a high-profile Premier League referee, told an employment tribunal on Thursday that the Women's Super League (WSL) official received a lower ranking because she was outperformed by others.

FIFA only accepts five referees on

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