Footballer banned for 70 games for assault on referee following red card

Ismail Gunduz has been banned for assaulting the referee

A footballer was handed a 70-match ban for assaulting the referee in Austria’s fifth division.

In a match against SPLG Innsbruck, Ismail Gunduz of SK Rum had just received a red card after getting a second yellow and asked to leave the pitch in the 86th minute when he did the unthinkable.

An angry Gunduz went on to headbutt the referee, badly injuring his lip and causing it to bleed profusely. The match was suspended with the scoreline 3-2 in favour of Rum as the referee had to be taken to a hospital.

However, Gunduz claims there has been a misunderstanding and that he wasn’t trying to headbutt the referee. He says he only slipped, calling the punishment “madness”.

70-match suspension justified: FA

But the local FA obviously didn’t buy his argument and decided to go ahead with the process of suspending him for 70 games.

Horst Scherl, head of the Tyrolean FA's disciplary commission, said: “The 70-match suspension is without precedent as far as we know.

“But it seemed proportionate to us given the gravity of the offence.”

Gunduz has been thrown out of SK Rum

The day only got worse for Gunduz as he was thrown out of the club and he isn’t allowed anywhere near their ground.

“We distance ourselves from Ismail Gunduz's behaviour,” said Rum coach Michael Messner.

“He was thrown out of the club with immediate effect, and has also been banned from stepping onto Rum's football ground.”