Because soccer referees need to be in the thick of the action, every now and then they will be inadvertently tripped up or bowled over by a player. A normal reaction to this is for the ref to clamber back to his feet with a smirk, and maybe laugh about the accident with the sheepish player once play has stopped. What is decidedly not normal is this ref’s bizarre reaction to being tripped in a Ligue 1 match this weekend:
Not only did the player receive a swift kick to the leg from the irate ref for the crime of accidentally bumping into him, the ref also showed him his second yellow card of the match. Hopefully though it’s the referee who serves a suspension next week for his behavior rather than the player.
Update: Tony Chapron, the dumbass ref in question, has been handed an indefinite suspension by the French refereeing authorities. There is justice in the world.