WE’RE USED TO seeing a referee brandish a red card from his back pocket but a Brazilian official was armed with more than just his whistle and cards at the weekend.
As a dispute developed during a lower-league match near Belo Horiztone, Gabriel Murta reacted to an alleged assault by a player by pulling out a gun.
The referee, who is believed to be a police officer by day, apparently left the pitch to get the weapon from the changing rooms before waving it around and pointing it at player.
The incident happened during a fixture between Brumadinho and Amantes da Bola and the scarcely believable scenes were captured by a fan sitting in the stand.
According to reports, Murta was kicked and slaapped after Amantes da Bola substitutes and management invaded the pitch to demand a red card be shown to an opposition player.
The Referees’ Association manager Giuliano Bozzano said the official felt threatened and used the weapon to defend himself.
“The Minas Gerais Football Federation has already summonsed the referee and a psychologist to a meeting and I’m going to talk with him today,” Bozzano has said.
“On the basis of that conversation and his account of events and the results of the psychological assessment I’ll decide what if any measures to take.
“What’s happened is obviously not a common occurrence and I don’t want to rush into anything.
“At the moment it happened he’s opted for getting his gun because in his view it was a question of controlling a situation.”
Murta now faces disciplinary action and could face a lengthy suspension or a permanent ban.
