A referee was brutally attacked by a ball hockey player in Quebec during a game Tuesday evening, according to a report by TVA Sports and the national association.
The 39-year-old official working in a Dek Hockey league reportedly had just ejected the player when he was struck several times with a hockey stick, suffering significant injuries that included a fractured skull, a broken jaw, several broken teeth and a concussion.
TVA Sports obtained a video clip and shared an image of the injured official that showed him with a bloodied and swollen mouth.
The National Ball Hockey Players Association (NBHPA) posted a statement in French on Facebook denouncing what the organization called a senseless act of violence.
“A referee who expelled a player from the match was attacked by the offending player,” the statement read. “He received a stick blow to the chest followed by a stick blow (with both hands) directly to the face! The referee is seriously injured.”
NBHPA said the offending player will be suspended for life even though the incident did not happen in an NBHPA-affiliated centre.
“All our thoughts are with this ref in our community who will be going through a very difficult time in the next few days,” the statement added.
The unidentified victim filed a complaint with police on Wednesday and the suspect has been approached by authorities, according to TVA Sports.
Charges could be brought against the player for the attack.