https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39uWaXvtvo
There were crazy scenes at a lower-league match in Brazil at the weekend, when a referee pulled out a gun after tempers boiled over on the pitch.
The Brazilian referee in question is Gabriel Murta who became enraged after some of the players from one of the teams decided to give him some rough treatment. Murta was Kicked and slapped by players from the lower-league club Amantes de Bola. Rather ironically Amantes de Bola translates as 'Lovers Of The Ball'. The manager of the team also decided to invade the pitch and demand a red card for one of the opposition.
Murta then choose the rather drastic option of retrieving his gun from the locker room and confronting his assailants.
It has since subsequently been revealed that Murta's day job is that of a policeman. He has also chosen to defend and further explain his actions:
I took a slap to the face and a kick to the shin. I was pressured by several players and sought the gun in the locker room to arrest the (offending) player.
But he ran, jumped the fence and ran away. I just wanted to defend myself and take action as a police officer. I was beaten as a citizen, he committed a crime.
You would think that his actions would have serious consequences however officials in Brazil have backed the referee stating:
He acted in self-defense. Everyone knows the difficulty of amateur championships.
The referees have already been through difficult situations. We have had several cases of referees being assaulted and even shot.
For the record the Referees' Association boss Giuliano Bozzano has come out and publicly said that Murta will have a psychological assessment and then a meeting with himself before any measures, if any, are to be taken against the Brazillian referee.
If by any chance you might figure out that you are being reffed at the weekend by a member of an Garda Síochána and you decide to give him a bit of lip then be grateful that they don't carry guns!
