A 16 year old who was refereeing an under 10’s football game needed urgent hospital treatment after being beaten senseless by some parents after the game ended.
It happened in the central northern province of León, when the youth, who is training to become a professional referee, was overseeing a friendly between two football teams made up of children aged 7 and 8, at the training ground for CD Bosco.
He sent off one of the kids for whatever reason, and tempers flew.
The young referee, who is Moroccan but adopted by a Spanish couple when only young, was confronted by the father and some of his friends as the players left the field at the end of the game. The father was a gitano.
Witnesses said that the youth attempted to defend his decision, despite obviously being scared, but before anyone could react the gitano punched him in the face and beat him to the ground.
He mainly suffered shock and facial wounds, although having suffered a severe punch to the eye will need treatment for corneal bruising. He was taken to hospital by ambulance. The attacker left the field but was later arrested by police.
José Antonio Martínez Alas, regional President of the Football Referee Union, said he was shocked at the attack and visited the youth in hospital, where he praised his professionalism. He also said that the union would be lodging a criminal complaint against the father on behalf of the youth.
“He was a young man doing his duty in an upright manner, and deserves the protection and support of his chosen profession” said José Antonio, who added that attacks on referees appeared to be on the increase but could never be tolerated.
Via 20minutos.es and others.