Brazilian footballer, Ribeiro could not handle his temper during a league game in Brazil. He decided to hit the game referee, Rodrigo Crivellaro, multiple times until he lost consciousness.
It took the intervention of players and other officials at the stadium to rescue the referee from the hands of the Brazilian footballer.
How Brazilian footballer turned an attempted murderer in split seconds
On Monday, October 4, 2021, two Brazilian lower division clubs, Sao Paulo de Rio Grande and hosts Guarani de Venancio Aires met to play a league match.
When the game’s scoreline was 1-0 in favor of Guarani de Venancio Aires, the Sao Paulo de Rio Grande player was expecting referee Rodrigo to award a free-kick to his team.
Unfortunately for the 30-year-old Brazilian defender who has been playing for Sao Paulo since July 26, 2021, the referee’s decision went against his team.
This got Ribeiro infuriated to the extent he launched an unprovoked attack on the referee. Even after the referee had landed on the pitch, the Brazilian footballer continued to hit him until he was unconscious.
When the officials and players were able to stop him from going on with the assault, an ambulance came and took the referee to the hospital while the police arrested Ribeiro at the scene of the incident. Hence, the two teams abandoned the match.
Shocking scenes in a Brazilian sixth tier match have resulted in Sao Paulo RS player William Ribeiro being arrested after physically attacking the referee for awarding a penalty against him. pic.twitter.com/KIfg1lvm2Q
— Topsportstv (@Topsportstv1) October 6, 2021
What next for Ribeiro and referee Rodrigo Crivellaro?
A day after Ribeiro assaulted referee Rodrigo Crivellaro, the referee was discharged and allowed to go home to recover.
As for Ribeiro, the 30-year-old Brazilian footballer was taken to Venâncio Aires State Penitentiary. He is expected to remain there until a court grants him bail.
The police in Brazil have already charged him for attempted murder which means that it is no longer a football issue but a civil crime.
To make matters worst for Ribeiro, his club, Sao Paulo de Rio Grande, has issued a statement on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, to announce that the contract of the footballer has been terminated due to his attack on the referee.
“On the exact day when all the red-green family gathered to celebrate the 113th anniversary of Sao Paulo RS, our club faced one of the saddest episodes of its history, a fateful scene that shocked all people who love not only Gaucho football but all those who just love the sport in general”, the club statement read.
“Rest assured, we are sorry and deeply ashamed. We send all the apologies in the world to the injured referee and his family as well as apologizing to the public in general for the lamentable scene seen today.
“The contract of the offending player is terminated. Furthermore, all possible legal measures about the incident will be taken.”
As it stands, the remaining minutes in the Brazilian lower division league match will be completed next Tuesday without Ribeiro.
