An Ohio high school soccer referee was left seriously injured after being inexplicably tackled by a player during a playoff game this week.
The barely-believable incident occurred during a district matchup between New Philadelphia and Steubenville on Tuesday night.
New Philadelphia’s 2-1 victory was overshadowed by the ugly scenes when the official was bodychecked to the ground by one of the players.
The offending player, who appeared to be a member of Steubenville’s team, was seemingly left frustrated after one of his teammates was shown a red card.
In viral footage shared by Bob Greenburg on X, the unassuming referee could be seen walking away after booking the teammate when the player inexplicably ran into the back of him.
The unidentified player was captured charging at the running official before driving head-first into the referee’s midriff and leaving him sprawled on the turf.
A high school soccer referee was left injured after being tackled to the ground by a player
The official was taken to hospital where he is being treated for broken ribs and a collapsed lung, according to TMZ.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association is yet to announce a formal punishment to the player over the shocking incident but it vowed that the consequences will be significant – and most definitely worse than a red card.
‘The OHSAA is waiting for a response from the school to announce the discipline that the school will take against the student-athlete, which will determine if the OHSAA will issue additional penalties,’ a spokesperson for the organization told The Daily Mail.
‘The school has indicated that punishment will be significant, which the OHSAA agrees with. Physical violence against an official is among the most serious offenses that a coach, player or fan can commit and the OHSAA will pursue this to the fullest extent possible.’
The Steubenville Board of Education said that it had worked with the OHSAA to address the matter but would not disclose the player’s specific punishment due to privacy laws.
‘The Steubenville City Schools is aware of the incident involving a student and a game official following a recent athletic contest,’ a spokesperson for the Steubenville Board of Education told The Daily Mail in a statement.
‘The District worked collaboratively with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) to review the matter and ensure it was addressed appropriately.
‘Following the review, disciplinary action was imposed. Consistent with student privacy laws, the District cannot comment on the specific disciplinary measures taken.
The offending player was seen charging at the official before driving head-first into him
‘The District remains committed to maintaining high standards of sportsmanship, respect, and safety at all athletic events.’
New Philadelphia traveled to Steubenville for the Division III level clash on Tuesday with the two schools separated by just 60 miles.
Thanks to their win, New Philadelphia will now face Dover in the District Final on Thursday evening with a place in the Regional Semifinals on the line.
Steubenville and their reckless player, meanwhile, were eliminated from the playoffs by Tuesday night’s result.
