A linesman officiating a minor hockey game during the Richmond International Bantam Midget Tournament was sent to hospital after sustaining injuries when he was attacked by a Surrey player.
Tournament co-chair Wendy Steadman said the unnamed linesman was released from hospital on Sunday, the same day of the incident.
Steadman said the Surrey Hurricanes player was suspended for the remainder of the tournament and the matter of supplementary discipline is now in the hands of BC Hockey, the provincial governing body for all minor hockey associations.
"This is not what we expect to see from players in this tournament. It's a side of the game that we don't want to see," said Steadman, noting that in her many years organizing the tournament nothing close to this kind of abuse of an official has ever happened.
The incident at the Richmond oval happened at the end of a roundrobin game against the Prince George Cougars, the subsequent champions of the midget tier II tournament.
CBC News reported that witnesses said the Surrey player knocked the linesman to the ground and continued to punch him until others stepped in.
The scoresheet indicates the teenage player was given a five-minute match penalty for "pushing" an official.
As of Thursday, Richmond RCMP said the incident was not reported.
"We would always encourage someone to come forward if they believe a criminal offence has occurred and will follow up. Usually in hockey situations it is referred to as a consensual fight where both parties equally engage in the 'fight,'" said spokesperson Cpl. Stephanie Ashton.
Richmond Minor Hockey's chief official Dwayne Shigeoka, who did not see the incident first hand, said any physical abuse of officials needs to be taken seriously, given their susceptibility on the ice.
"It's rare that a player attacks an official like that. I was kind of surprised when I heard that. Most abuse that an official takes is usually verbal, it doesn't usually escalate to this," said Shigeoka.
Shigeoka said a lifetime ban from hockey is a possibility for the player. "For anyone to lose their mind that much to attack an official, to me that's a loose cannon," he said.
The tournament is held annually in Richmond and hosts some of the best midget and bantam teams, typically from western North America. Midget players are ages 15-17.
Executive Director of BC Hockey Barry Petrachenko told CBC News an investigation is now underway.
