A 17-year-old rugby league player in France has been hit with a 20-year ban after alledgely hitting a match official last month. The ugly incident took place during an Under-19s fixture between Racing Club de Saint-Gaudens and Limoux on December 15.

It has been claimed that the Saint-Gaudens player punched the official before following them back to the changing rooms. The player has not been named in French reports.

Under the French Rugby League Federation regulations, violenece of it's type can carry suspensions from four months to a lifetime ban from the sport. Therefore, the teenager's ban is on the heavier side of the spectrum, with the player banned for two whole decades.

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The incident has brought a lot of traction in France, with the French Rugby League referees releasing a statement expressing their concerns of violence towards match officials and the impact such actions will have on referee participation numbers in the future. In the society's eyes, more referees are becoming 'disgusted' with their treatment, enduring 'insults and threats' from the side of te pitch.

The statement has been translated and reads: "Like you, they (referees) are human, and they can sometimes make mistakes. Today, the observation is clear. Whatever the match, whatever the championship or the category, the refereeing body is the constant target of multiple attacks. From insults to threats to obscene gestures, every referee has already experienced this horrible situation.

“Their authors, coaches, supporters, players, or managers sometimes forget the values of our sport. Recently, physical attacks against us have multiplied. A young referee was again attacked in the face recently.

"This new attack is a straw that breaks the camel’s back. Every year, many young boys and girls approach regional officials to start refereeing. And unfortunately, too many of them stop shortly after, disgusted with spending their afternoons enduring insults and threats on the side of a pitch."

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