A football match in Germany was abruptly called off after an unexpected injury to the referee—caused by a bite in a rather painful place, reports the New York Post.
The bizarre incident took place just before the match between FC Taxi Duisburg II and SV Rot-Weiss Mülheim on Sunday, February 23. As referee Stefan Kahler was carrying out his pre-match checks, a young child, who was warming up alongside the players, suddenly bit him in the testicle.
Kahler later recounted the shocking moment, saying, “While I was checking the FC Taxi players’ ID, a small child was doing warm-up exercises alongside the players. He came closer and closer to me, then suddenly—to my complete surprise—gave me a sharp bite in my left testicle.”
The unexpected attack left him in excruciating pain, forcing him to abandon the match before it had even begun. “I did not start the game because of the pain I was in and the situation. It was the child of one of the FC Taxi players who was to blame,” he added.
The young culprit’s parent has not been named, and it remains unclear whether Kahler will return to officiate the rescheduled match. Reports say the referee “buckled over” in pain and was unable to continue with his duties.
The Kreisliga C division fixture will now be played at a later date, with fans left wondering whether Kahler will have the nerve—or the stomach—to take charge again.