7/29/2004

Coach questions call, shot to death on field by referee

The ultimate penalty
Coach questions call, shot to death on field by referee
Posted: Sunday July 25, 2004 2:15PM; Updated: Sunday July 25, 2004 2:27PM

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- A South African soccer referee pulled a gun and shot dead a coach who questioned one of his rulings, police said on Sunday.

Inspector Mali Govender of the Grahamstown police in the Eastern Cape province said a fight broke out after the referee gave a yellow warning card to a player in a local match on Saturday.

"There was an altercation...and the referee became threatened when the other team approached him because they were angry," Govender said. "So he pulled out a gun and killed the coach of the visiting team."