Punches and kicks aimed at the opposing coach; a two-year suspension

What happened in the match between Castelnuovo and Verolese—a game in the Lombardy Regional Juniores league—is unbelievable: Daoud Younes, born in 2007, attacked the opposing coach and then took it out on the referee as well. The Disciplinary Committee has handed him a two-year suspension.

The following is the reasoning included in the official statement released by the National Amateur League: “Suspension through September 27, 2028, for unsportsmanlike, disrespectful, and violent conduct toward the referee and the opposing coach. The player, who was on the bench at the time, left the technical area and kicked a second ball onto the field with the clear intent of interrupting play,” concludes the statement regarding the Verolese player.

“He then approached the opposing team’s coach, insulted him, and then struck him with a punch and a kick. After being notified of his ejection, he approached the referee and struck him in the chest, continuing to hurl insults at him even as he left the field.”

An incident of this kind is a deep wound to youth soccer and the values of sport. It is utterly inconceivable that in a league dedicated to the development of young players, we should witness scenes of such unprecedented violence. To see a seventeen-year-old athlete first lash out at the opposing coach with punches and kicks and then shove and intimidate the referee goes beyond any competitive tension or momentary frustration.