Adult soccer player hits referee, gets banned from league

An adult soccer player was banned from his league indefinitely in the wake of allegations that he punched an 18-year-old referee during a game.

Police were summoned to the soccer field at Jefferson Christian Academy on Sunday after a Dinosaurs 2 team member allegedly struck referee Chris Galladoro, according to an Irondale police report that classified the incident as an assault against a sports official and a third-degree felony.

Galladoro was officiating the Central Alabama Independent Soccer League game along with his father, Ed Galladoro.

The league's disciplinary committee received the referees' report Wednesday and immediately issued a ban against Johnny Arguedes.

"It's not going to be tolerated," said Mitchell McElroy, the CAISL director of referees. "There is absolutely no cause for this whatsoever."

Chance Turner, another Dinosaur 2 player, is Arguedes' lawyer. "My client hasn't been charged with anything so I just have to wait and see," Turner said. "It's an ongoing investigation. I can't comment and I can't in good conscience allow him to comment."

During the age 30-and-older game between Dinosaurs 2 and Upper 90, Chris Galladoro called a foul on a Dinosaurs 2 player and Upper 90 was awarded a free kick. Arguedes did not step back the required 10 yards and eventually received an automatic yellow card from Chris Galladoro, according to the referee report.

An automatic yellow card means a player must leave the game until the next dead ball, Ed Galladoro said. Arguedes eventually did so.

Another Dinosaurs 2 player began arguing the original call, and as Chris Galladoro was issuing a yellow card to that player, Arguedes returned to the field, according to the referee report. From behind, Arguedes grabbed Chris Galladoro by a shoulder, turned him and punched him, knocking him down, according to the referee report and the police report.

The younger Galladoro was bleeding and "he couldn't open his jaw for 30 minutes," his father said.

The game was not continued.

Ed Galladoro said he intends to press a criminal complaint.