The disciplinary committee handling the case called it one of the most serious attacks to ever take place against an official in organized sports in that country. 23-year-old Alexander Rinda has been suspended for two years--not just from hockey but all sports under the umbrella of the Swedish Sports Federation--after cross-checking a referee during a game in mid-December. The ruling was released Monday. You can see the incident below.
Rinda was apparently upset that a minor penalty had been called against him and started to shout at the official. According to the disciplinary committee, it was when the referee raised his arm to blow the play dead and kick the player out of the game that the cross-check happened. The committee says the two-year ban is the toughest sentence possible in a case not involving doping.
Rinda was playing with Flemingsbergs IK of Hockeytvaan (Sweden-Division 2), the fourth tier of ice hockey in Sweden. When contacted by Aftonbladet.se, Rinda refused comment saying he hadn't yet had the opportunity to read the ruling.
Source: Aftonbladet.se
