The former captain of the Russian national football team, Roman Shirokov, attacked a referee for not counting a penalty that the player demanded.
Referee Nikita Danchenko was transferred to the hospital to treat the swelling and cuts he sustained in the face as a result of Shirokov's direct punch, after the referee showed him the red card.
Here's what former Russia star Roman Shirokov did to a referee in the yesterday's amateur league match after not being awarded a penalty he thought he earned. pic.twitter.com/tkSGHVBNo0
- Artur Petrosyan (@arturpetrosyan) August 11, 2020
The incident began after Shirokov protested that a penalty kick was not taken in his favor during a match in the Russian Amateur League, and then ran towards the referee, directing inappropriate objections, prompting the referee to dismiss him so that the former midfielder punched the referee in the face with a strong punch that dropped him to the ground, then kicked him with the foot while trying The players of the two teams restrain him.
According to press reports, Shirokov, from MatchTV, which works as a football analyst, was suspended, and that the former Zenit player had posted a long apology on social media, expressing his deep regret over the incident.