19-year-old amateur player banned for life after hitting referee

“Nothing justifies such violence”. President of the Regional League of New Aquitaine, Saïd Ennjimi thus justified, on Wednesday May 24, the sanction against a 19-year-old amateur footballer, playing in Limoges in Regional 3 (8th division), suspended for life after assaulting a referee last March, as revealed The People of the Center. “IThe player no longer has the right to play club football. He can no longer claim a license”added the former international referee.

Licensed to Vigenal FC, this young man had insulted and then hit the assistant referee of a meeting against Ruffec (Charente), on March 19. Victim of a head trauma and a fractured face, the 38-year-old linesman had to be evacuated to the Limoges University Hospital. He had received a total incapacity for work for more than 8 days.

Two spectators banned for life

Also dismissed from Vigenal FC, two players who came to the meeting were also banned for life for having struck the referee. The latter, for his part, received a two-game suspension for having reacted to insults in a manner deemed excessive. “The commission felt that he could have had a different attitude on the pitch”, explained Said Ennjimi. Finally, the Regional 3 club saw eight points removed in the standings, recording its relegation to Departmental 1 (9th division).

“It saddens us to come to this, but if we want to continue to have referees on the pitch, these sanctions are necessary”, justifies the president of the regional League. According to him, around fifteen serious cases of physical violence have been recorded out of 80,000 matches played over the season in New Aquitaine.