Soccer player William Ribeiro charged with attempted murder after attacking ref
A Brazilian soccer player who violently attacked a referee during a game earlier this week was arrested and is facing a serious charge.
William Ribeiro, who plays for São Paulo de Rio Grande, attacked a referee during Monday’s match against Guarani de Venancio Aires when he became irate that he did not get a call. A video showed Ribeiro shove the ref to the ground and then ruthlessly kick him in the head.
William Ribeiro, jogador do São Paulo de Rio Grande foi autuado por tentativa de homicídio após agredir covardemente o árbitro Rodrigo Crivellaro.
Torço, e espero que ele seja severamente punido, e que nunca mais pise num campo se futebol. pic.twitter.com/Y6W41QSVfd— Benjamin Back (@benjaminback) October 5, 2021
Ribeiro was arrested at the stadium minutes after the incident.
A footballer in the Brazilian lower league identified as William Ribeiro has been arrested by the Police for physically assaulting a referee during a football match. According to reports the culprit, attacked Rodrigo Crivellaro just shortly after Sao Paulo conceded the openi… pic.twitter.com/SJuOtgO4jw
— 231base ✪ (@231BDN) October 5, 2021
As TMZ notes, local authorities said on Tuesday that Ribeiro has been charged with attempted murder.
“His attack was very strong and violent, kicking the referee in the head and making him pass out,” a law enforcement official said. “The referee had no chance of defending himself.”
Delvid Goulart Pereira, the president of São Paulo-RS, said the club was “deeply ashamed” by the incident and that Ribeiro’s contract has been terminated.
The referee was taken to a local hospital following the incident. He was released on Tuesday and is expected to make a full recovery.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time we have seen an athlete arrested for violently attacking a referee during competition.
