Sports stars take note: the next time you abuse a referee they might actually fight back, pin you to the ground and have you shackled by the cops.
That’s what happened to Canadian junior league hockey player Olivier Marcotte, who got more than he bargained for when he squared up to a linesman and allegedly spat in his direction, CBC News reports.
Officiating games is often a thankless task, so it’s perhaps not surprise that the linesman snapped and meted out his own justice, grappling Marcotte to the icy floor. Footage from the sidelines shows the exchange quickly escalate into an all-out brawl between the pair.
The scuffle eventually ended with Marcotte being pinned down by a group of linesmen and referees, as both sets of teams stood around watching the bizarre scene unfold.
Sherbrooke Hockey-Experts player Marcotte, 21, was then handcuffed by police while face down on the rink and taken to the sidelines for questioning.
He was not arrested, according to the Washington Post, but the player will no doubt be nursing some emotional bruises after watching his team lose 9-3 to rivals Nicolet - and all in his last appearance for the team.
Ice hockey players need to be quick, agile and accurate when shooting a puck around a rink for an hour. However, games often descend into all-out chaos so it probably helps if you are skilled in mixed martial arts.