Banned for 50 Years

Swiss player banned for 50 years for kicking ball at referee’s face

Yes, it’s time for that stock photo of a referee brandishing a red card.

Dramatic news from the fourth tier of Swiss football, where Portugal Futebol Clube defender Ricardo Ferreira has been banned until the year 2064 for kicking a ball at a referee’s face.

Robert Breiter, the legal representation for the league, said:
"We do not want such a player in our league. Unfortunately we encounter such cases about once a year."

Quite right too. Meanwhile, Ferreira – who will be 78 when he is finally eligible to make his comeback – was rather surprised by the length of the suspension:

"I had expected one or two years maximum. But 50 years? Football’s my life."

The half-century ban, it turns out, is a bureaucratic quirk. Ferreira’s suspension is indefinite but (after previous offences, including a 45-match ban for abusive behaviour) it has been recorded on the league’s computer system as a full 50 years.

Which might make the headbutting Austrian from last month feel like he got off rather lightly with his 70-match suspension.

Damn! They do stack those game bans like dinner plates, don't they?

Guy obviously has anger management issues.  50 year ban sounds good.  There isnt a shortage of football players anyways... a guy like him makes it dangerous for anyone on the pitch