A soccer player has been banned for 50 years after he attacked a referee in Switzerland.
Ricardo Ferreira has a long history of abusing officials and the Swiss FA decided to give him a lengthy ban following his most recent incident. Ferreira plays in the fourth-tier of the Swiss league for Portugal Dutebol Clube.
What makes the situation even more peculiar is that Ferreira was an unused substitute in the game that resulted in him being banned. After Portugal Dutebol Clube lost 1-0 to SC Worb, he couldn’t contain his frustration and he immediately went to remonstrate with the match official.
Ferreira was clearly apoplectic with the refereeing decisions that had been dished out in the encounter. But rather than discussing the matter with the referee, he instead simply kicked a soccer ball directly into his face. He didn’t stop there though, because according to Swiss newspaper Blick , he then launched a vitriolic verbal attack on the referee as he walked down the tunnel, too.
But Ferreira still had one further trick up his sleeve. Unsatisfied with the work that he had already done, he then squirted water at the official. After the incident the 28-year-old was well aware that he would probably get a hefty fine. However, he has now admitted that he is shocked and appalled by the decision to give him a 50 year ban from the beautiful game.
“I had expected one or two years maximum. But 50 years? Football’s my life.”
This decision was reached because of his prior misdemeanours, which had seen him serve a 45-match ban. He had been given this suspension after he was found guilty of abusing officials and assaulting players on a regular basis.
Robert Breiter, a lawyer who works for the Swiss amateur league, explained that they felt they had no choice but to give Ferreira this gargantuan suspension.
“We do not want such a player in our league. Unfortunately we encounter such cases about once a year.”
By the time Ferreira’s suspension is finished the year will be 2064 and he will be age 78. Ferrira’s ban was actually supposed to be indefinite. However, because the Swiss officials had to put in an end date on the computer system, they use they decided that June 5, 2064 would be a perfect day for him to be forgiven for his punishment.
[Image via BP]
