An Italian club president has been banned for five years after attacking and injuring a referee in the dressing room at halftime during a lower division match, causing the game to be suspended.
Paolo Pilloni, president of Sardinian club Sanluri, punched match official Luigi Cannas on his cheek, causing him to fall backwards and bang his head against the dressing-room wall, a Italian federation regional disciplinary tribunal said in a statement.
Pilloni continued the attack as the referee lay on the floor with his hands over his face, kicking him once in the abdomen and then in the right leg, the report said.
"The referee, in his report, stated that, throughout the attack, Pilloni continued to rant and insult him," the report said.
Unable to continue with the game, the referee called the match off. He was taken to hospital and will not be able to referee for 20 days.
The attack happened after a penalty was awarded against Sanluri in the match against Tortoli in the Sardinian regional division of Italy's fifth tier on Sept. 14.
"Pilloni's conduct is to be regarded as reprehensible, violent behaviour of the utmost seriousness," said the tribunal in banning him for any football-related activity for five years.
Tortoli were awarded a 3-0 walkover win and Pilloni's fellow director Giuseppe Cuozzo, present when the incident took place, was banned until Oct. 30.
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