Video footage shows the shocking moment a mother stormed the pitch of an Under-12s football match in Spain to slap the referee in the face.
In a match between CF Alhendín and RCD Espanyol Albolote in Granada, the woman is seen entering the field of play moments after the referee had blown his final whistle.
The home team, Alhendín, had just sealed a 4-2 victory in their the Andalusian third division match.
In the incident recorded by a spectator in the crowd, the woman, believed to be the mother of one of the boys playing for the visiting team Espanyol Albolote, strikes the match official, who immediately pushes her back.
The woman takes another wild swing which narrowly misses before other officials rush over to calm the situation.
One of the youngsters involved in the match approaches the woman with another man leading them both of the pitch.
RCD Espanyol de Barcelona Escuela Granada, the youth football body overseeing the game, has since shared a statement saying it ‘strongly condemns any acts of violence on football pitches, particularly those aimed at referees and other individuals involved in our sport.’
Their statement added: ‘As an institution committed to the development of our sport and its positive impact on society, we cannot tolerate behaviours that tarnish what should be a celebration of effort, talent, and unity.
‘Referees, coaches, players, and all football stakeholders deserve to work in a safe and respectful environment, free from threats or aggression. We reaffirm our commitment to education in values both on and off the field. Football is not just a sport; it is a tool to impart life lessons, and as such, it cannot be allowed to become a space where violence has a place.’
RCD Espanyol Albolote also stated ‘our club has also held an urgent meeting to take decisive measures based on the events that have occurred and we support any measure that the authorities adopt to sanction, punish and prevent these acts.’
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