A rising American football star who hoped to become a top wrestler has been banned for a season for a vicious attack that left a referee who dismissed him concussed – and police who escorted him out have charged him with assault.
Texas high school prodigy Emmanuel Duron charged back on to the field after being ejected from Edinburg High School’s win over Pharr-San Juan-Alamo earlier this month, smashing referee Fred Garcia to the floor before being led away by shocked players and coaching staff.
Garcia suffered a shoulder injury and did not return to the game amid concussion fears, while police escorted disgraced Duron from the scene, charging him with assault at a local court and demanding a $10,000 bond for his release.
The kicker and punter, who won a district Defensive Player of the Year award last year, now has his sporting ambitions in tatters after being suspended from all athletics for the rest of the school year.
Emmanuel Duron, a defensive tackle at Edinburg High School in Texas, tackled a referee after being disqualified from the game. Absolutely unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/VSBaJWPPhn
#EmmanuelDuron#thug suspended for all activities for the rest of senior year. Question: Why is he not expelled from school #EdinburghHigh??? Not first incident and won’t be the last!! He will seriously injure or kill someone soon!! @uiltexas
This was the proper punishment at a minimum… this jerk off makes a statement and doesn’t apologize to the ref he cheap-shotted. I hope the ref pushes hard in court, a punk-ass kid like this needs the hard knocks lesson.
The ruling could also have implications for the school and head football coach JJ Leija, who have been placed on long-term probation.
After receiving an earlier penalty, Duron was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for reportedly saying something untoward to Garcia, heading off before frenziedly returning to the field to floor the defenseless official.
Edinburgh won 35-21 but their advance to the play-offs has ended after they were removed from the competition as a result of the attack, which has been viewed more than a million times online.
He didn’t even apologize to the referee or his teammates. What a scumbag
Goodbye, any chance of a scholarship. Self-control, brother.
If he had any scholarship he can kiss those away also.
In a brief statement, Duron said: “I’d like to say I’m sorry for what happened to my coaches and to my family and to the University Interscholastic League.”
The apology was largely met with derision on social media. “This was the proper punishment at a minimum,” blasted one US sports fan.
“This jerk-off makes a statement and doesn’t apologize to the ref he cheap-shotted. I hope the ref pushes hard in court; a punk-ass kid like this needs the hard knocks lesson.”
pic.twitter.com/R7PFIiX80A
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They knew what type of player they had and they allowed it to happen. It’s just a shame that team had to suffer for his dumb mistake.
Another thundered: “He didn’t even apologize to the referee or his teammates. What a scumbag.”
Edinburg CISD interim superintendent Gilbert Garza was quoted as calling the clash “very unfortunate” for the team after the unanimous suspension decision.
“Our district’s leadership also agrees with the committee that such incidents are not acceptable and will not be tolerated,” he said.
“Moving forward, our district is committed to developing and implementing a plan of action to proactively deter any future misconduct by any future student-athlete.”
