Quebec youth hockey official arrested for allegedly assaulting 10-year-old player
The referee deliberately elbowed the player for an unknown reason, according to witnesses.
A 42-year-old man was arrested in Quebec on Sunday after allegedly assaulting a child while refereeing a youth hockey game.
The victim, a 10-year-old hockey player, was participating in a game refereed by the suspect at the Robert-Chevalier rink in Sainte-Foy.
According to witnesses, the official deliberately elbowed the player for an unknown reason. The player did not suffer any injuries.
An employee at the arena said spectators — including the parents of the victim — were up in arms after the referee assaulted one of the young players, seemingly unprovoked.
"Personally, it stunned me more than it shocked me," the employee told TVA Sports in French. "The parents in the stands were really not happy. They started yelling at the referee and decided to call the police."
The employee said the official had no visible reason to attack this specific player and the gesture was not used to separate a scrum.
The suspect was released hours later after promising to appear in court, according to SPVQ spokesperson Sandra Dion.
