The Football Association has banned a county official for four months after he told a female referee "a woman's place is in the kitchen and not on a football field."
According to BBC Sport, Northumberland County FA vice-president John Cummings told referee development officer Lucy May she "wouldn't be able to handle" officiating in the North East Sunday League during a referee workshop event in March.
He added: "It's nothing against you personally but all the time I'm alive, a woman will never referee in my league."
Cummings was found guilty of a breach of FA rules by an independent FA regulatory commission -- led by solicitor and former Blackburn Rovers player Stuart Ripley -- for "abusive and/or insulting language," aggravated because of a specific reference to gender.
The FA panel decided, on the balance of probabilities, that Cummings had made the comments to May and that they were not "in jest."
Cummings initially denied a conversation with May had taken place, but later told FA investigators: "It's a standing joke with me. I mean, a woman's place is in the home and everything so what difference does it make saying it in front of all her colleagues? She should obviously realise it's a joke."
As well as the suspension, Cummings, who may yet appeal the decision, has also been hit with a 250-pound fine and must attend an education programme before he returns to his role.