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Basketball fans are enraged with a parent who got into a physical fight with a ref during a recent youth league game. The altercation was filmed and quickly posted to social media over the weekend, sparking a massive response from viewers online.
In the now viral clip, a man rises up from his seat in the crowd to confront the official. Apparently unhappy with a call made on the court, the situation escalates to the point punches are thrown.
The fan, who is reportedly a parent of one of the players, drags the referee down the court before throwing haymaker after haymaker to his counterpart. After gathering himself a bit, the ref is able to tackle the parent before the fight is eventually broken up.
Right here in Fort Wayne Indiana. Why is it ok to attack a official? When is it going to stop? This is why we don’t have officials! pic.twitter.com/NmF4cB7eiS
— Jeff Lytle (@jefflytle_37) May 21, 2023
Those that saw the scuffle immediately posted their responses of shock on social media. Most appear to be furious with the parent in the stands.
One person asked, “What is going on???? Wow!”
Another viewer wanted harsh punishment, saying, “Who is this guy? Find him, arrest him and BAN him from all sporting events and youth events forever.”
Someone else commented, “There’s going to come a time where parents won’t be allowed on court level.”
This follower, who’s apparently familiar with the situation, wrote, “This is insane. That official is one of the best guys we have out there on a weekly basis.”
Unfortunately, it’s far from the first time we’ve seen a scene like this unfold during a youth sporting event. We’ll see if there are any consequences handed down to the instigator.