Grandfather punches teenage referee at youth soccer game in Montreal

Quebec soccer leaders and clubs are denouncing an attack on a 17-year-old referee at a youth soccer game on May 7 in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, on Montreal’s West Island.

The incident was filmed and shows a spectator – a 72-year-old grandfather who was there watching is grandson play –coming down from the bleachers to confront the referee.

The man, who appears to be frustrated, walks up to the teenager and gets very close. The teen puts his two hands up and pushes the man off.

The spectator then appears to punch the referee in the face. Other spectators intervene, with one tackling the man to the ground second after the punch.

The teenager walks off while people shout at the man who threw the punch.

WATCH: Full video of incident at soccer game in Dollard-des-Ormeaux

#WATCH: A 17-year-old referee at a youth soccer game on May 7 in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, on Montreal’s West Island, was attacked by a spectator, punching the teen in the face after a heated exchange. The man is the grandfather of a 14-year-old player.

READ: https://t.co/UxEYsfpzWk pic.twitter.com/2XRgobq72Z

— Alyssia (@rubertuccinews) May 10, 2022

Incident was shocking, says Soccer Quebec

“I was shocked,” said Mathieu Chamberland, the general manager of Soccer Quebec. “How could that happen in 2022 in our society?”

The incident happened during the opening game of the summer season between U14 Saint-Laurent and Haut-Richelieu.

“It was a good soccer game and no violence on the field. It was a 1-1 game, the kids were having a blast on the field, and this just came out of left field,” said Rocco Placentino, the sporting director for the Club de Soccer de Saint-Laurent. “It was unexpected.”

The spectator who attacked the referee was there to support his grandson playing for Saint-Laurent. The man apparently took issue with the linesman.

“They had some bickering back and forth and then one thing led to another, and in the span of five seconds, all hell broke loose,” said Placentino, a former professional soccer player with the Montreal Impact.

A source close to the referee confirms he is doing well. The teenager and his family are exploring their options on whether to make a formal complaint.

Police were not called to the scene at the time of the incident, but Soccer Quebec encourages the young official to seek justice.

Grandfather issues apology

The grandfather issued an apology Tuesday in a letter sent to Club de Soccer de Saint-Laurent and Soccer Quebec.

“I behaved in an unacceptable way and I take responsibility for it,” he wrote. “Rest assured that I deeply regret it. As a former teacher, I am particularly aware that this is a very bad example for 14-year-olds.

“So I want to sincerely apologize, first and foremost to this young man and his family. I also apologize to the players and coaches of both teams and to the other match officials. Finally, I want to apologize to those who witnessed this moment of bewilderment which lacked civility, courtesy and which gave an example of a violence yet completely opposed to my own values.”

The man went on to say he’s since embarked on a “process to get help,” though does not specify what that entails.

“I am extremely saddened by the situation and the consequences it has had for so many people, including my family members,” the letter continued. “I am aware that many may have been shocked or hurt by my actions and I ask their forgiveness.

“I am aware that my gesture cannot be erased.”

Chamberland says this incident is the peak of the mistreatment referees often face.

“It’s in the sport’s culture to make some critiques about their refereeing,” he said. “But what we forget is it’s a youth sport. It’s amateur sport. And the referees are there, they learn, they make mistakes. The minority of people don’t accept those errors.”

“We’re encouraging kids to become referees,” added Placentino. “So we’ve got to help them out, not scare them away.”

The same message was echoed by the provincial minister responsible for sports, Isabelle Charest, who tweeted Monday that it was “unacceptable” and that parents should be “ambassadors of sportsmanship.”

The family of the 72-year-old man is said to be shocked by his behaviour, finding it unacceptable also and accepting all the consequences that will come his way.

“The sanction is heavy where he won’t be able to ever watch his grandkids play soccer in our club ever again, which is kind of sad,” said Placentino.

Placentino said the Saint-Laurent soccer club will now be starting an internal campaign to prevent this kind of violence from happening again.

“Our message is loud and clear, whether it’s putting up banners at games, at practices, constant messages where we’re saying it’s unacceptable, we’re here for the kids,” he said. “We’re coming out of a pandemic where we’re encouraging kids to play any sport, not just soccer.”