- A German goalkeeper who viciously attacked a referee from behind during a match in September has been banned for eight years and will also face criminal charges.
- The keeper ran up to the official and struck him in the neck after his team had conceded a late equalizer, reports RP Online.
- “Players like him won’t get a second chance,” the player’s coach told ESPN. “Attacking the referee is a no-no.”
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
A German goalkeeper who viciously attacked a referee from behind during a match has been banned for eight years and will also face criminal charges.
CSV Marathon II goalkeeper, named Samet. U for legal reasons, attacked match official Axel Vollack after his side had conceded a contentious 80th-minute equalizer to SV Oppum in a district league game in September, reports RP Online.
Samet believed the opposition player to have been offside, however after Vollack ruled he was not, Samet stormed out of his box, ran towards Vollack, and hit him in the neck from behind.
The match was immediately suspended and CSV Marathon ordered a restraining order against the goalkeeper coming to the club’s premises.
The club pushed for the maximum penalty with the German football authorities, which on Thursday handed the keeper an eight-year ban.
He also faces criminal charges, ESPN reports.
"Players like him won't get a second chance at CSV Marathon," Axel Wiebus, the club's general manager, told ESPN.
"Attacking the referee is a no-no. It's honorable work we are doing, and things like that just take away all the fun," Wiebus added. "It tarnishes everything."