Football referee suspended after grabbing player during touchdown

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 10 Oct, 15:13 · Archive

A Missouri high school football referee has been suspended indefinitely after grabbing a player during a touchdown celebration.

A referee has been suspended indefinitely by the Missouri State High School Activities Association after an incident during a high school football game between Glendale and Kickapoo in Springfield on Thursday. Video showed the official grabbing wide receiver Joelle Rover's chest and pulling him to face another direction after Rover scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter and celebrated with a teammate. The referee then lunged toward Rover as the player walked away.

Glendale head coach Frank Tristan objected to the contact. "He doesn't need to be touching my player," Tristan said. "You talk to me. That's ridiculous. He needs to grow up." The Missouri State High School Activities Association responded quickly, with communications director Andrew Kauffman telling USA Today: "We were made aware of the situation, and the official in question has been suspended indefinitely."

Springfield Public Schools, which both teams belong to, said it was working with the MSHSAA to resolve the matter. According to Fox News, Glendale had already received two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties during the game before the incident.

How it is being reported

• High school football referee suspended for grabbing a player and acting like a buffoonJoelle Rover's 43-yard touchdown celebration for the Glendale Falcons sparked a shocking referee confrontation caught on video in Springfield, Missouri.Fox News · 10 Oct, 14:51
• High school football ref suspended after grabbing player during touchdown celebrationThings got physical between a player and a referee during a Missouri high school football game on Thursday.New York Post · 10 Oct, 02:15

In this story: Joelle Rover · Frank Tristan · Glendale · Kickapoo · Missouri State High School Activities Association · Springfield

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