A Utah referee has died after being punched by a 17-year old player. According to CNN, the referee was doing his job for a recreational soccer league when he cited the teenager for an infraction.
After issuing a “yellow card”, which is caution to a player, the teen turned around and punched Ricardo Portillo.
According to The Washington Post, authorities believed Portillo only suffered minor injuries. Once transported to a local hospital, doctors discovered that the 46-year old man had suffered internal head injuries.
Portillo remained in critical condition for a week before he died on Saturday night.
“He loved soccer," Portillo's daugther, Johanna told CNN. "We just never thought this was going to happen. He loved what he did and it was his passion.
“People don't know it's a game. We're all there to have fun, not to go and kill each other.”
The teenager is still inside of a juvenile detention center after being charged with aggravated assault. After the death of Portillo, it is expected that the teen’s charges will be upgraded.
The soccer game was put in place for children between the ages of five and 17. Fut International league president, Mario Vasquez, released a statement that the league has a no-tolerance policy. All players engaged in any type of violence will be removed from the league.
Vasquez has agreed to hire off-duty police officers to watch over upcoming games, The Washington Post reported.
The incident is reminiscent of the vicious attack in the Netherlands. A 15-year old and a 16-year old were charged for beating a 41-year old linesman during a soccer game. The linesman, Richard Nieuwenhuizen, died the next day after falling into a coma.
