Germany: 3-year ban for footballer after punching ref
November 22, 2019
An amateur footballer in Germany was banned for three years on Thursday after he punched a referee in a regional league match last month.
The incident occurred in a match between two 11th-tier sides, FSV Münster and TV Semd, and the game was abandoned in the 85th minute as a result.
Read more: Racial abuse investigated after game suspended
The 22-year-old referee was knocked unconscious by the punch and airlifted via helicopter to a nearby hospital, according to local reports at the time.
No place in football
Thursday's ruling, which also includes a six-month suspension for FSV Münster and a €500 ($553) fine for the club, was the right decision according to Theodor Greiner of the Hessian Football Association (HFV).
"Something like that does not belong on a sports pitch and the three-years are fully justified, it was the highest possible penalty," he told news agency SID.
Earlier this month, Cologne referees went on strike, protesting against growing player violence at local-level matches. The officials cited spitting and racist abuse, as well as physical attacks.
jsi/stb (dpa, AFP, SID)
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