Hugo Domingues banned for 8yrs for assulting a marshal in Bitburg.

[onasilverbike]

Too harsh!

Player eliminated
Player DMT (dead man talking) 1-4-1
Player continues DMT to ref, ref ignores player, assessing no further penalty
Player grabs ref - physical contact = player ban
Player and refs in ref pits whilst refs write up incident, player sucker punches ref in face, out of nowhere and with out warning, player ejected from premises and given 8 year ban.

What's so harsh about this? For the record, I was no more than 10 feet away when it all happened, though my head was turned at the moment of the punch. Hugo is an angry little man, its not the first time his temper has flared up.

Initially, it was rumoured as a lifetime ban and a 2,000€ fine.

If an angry eliminated player grabbed you by the shirt would you not feel threatened Tom? Bo you think this is the way players should behave in the showcase division of the premier European league on the main field in front of a grandstand full of spectators?

Is such behaviour the way to show paintball as a legitimate sport, especially in a country where its acceptance and status in law is questionable?

 

[Lump]

Shame you didnt get a pic you being a photographer and all

 

[onasilverbike]

A) Ulrich was waving his hands in the air "No media"
B) I wouldn't have wanted to put my privileges in jeopardy

Tommy could have got video if he hadn't had distracted me in the first place and then been busy tweeting the incident.

 

[Lump]

 

[onasilverbike]

Lemon seemed happy that the police were looking for Hugo and not here and her non-f-stamped marker

 

[upzii]

8 years seems steep but assault is assault

 

[dodge-gnome]

Cool, if it were a case of "his word against the marshalls" as to whether he "grabbed him by the jersey/throat", it wouldn't be an outright eviction and long-term ban, there would be an internal investigation to find out who was lying and why, and go from there.
But blindsiding someone in the face on the other hand...his penalty seems completely justified for that alone.

 

[Dr Fingers]

Really interesting reading this and the same debate on PBNation! Very few are questioning the need for punishment but quite a few are suggesting 8 years is too long. Does the player have a right to appeal?

 

[upzii]

Really interesting reading this and the same debate on PBNation! Very few are questioning the need for punishment but quite a few are suggesting 8 years is too long. Does the player have a right to appeal?

after 5 years I believe ?

 

[jahlad]

doesn't seem enough if you ask me.....paintball is an adrenaline fueled sport and yeah there is always the odd disagreement, it occasional poke with a finger, raised voice, bad language and the odd spot of head banging but it doesn't go past that before people calm down see things straight and shake hands. some might argue that even what i have mentioned should be dealt with more harshly than it sometimes is.
but to straight out punch someone in the face aint on i am afraid especially if as i read it this was a few minutes later after the match was over and the player should have had time to think about things/ get his head straight, he should have been going into that refs tent to apologize for or to discuss with the ultimate what ever he had been accused of regardless of it he was guilty or not.

in my personal opinion it should have been a life time ban. also if i had been the ref involved i personally would have called the police and had him arrested for assault there and then.
paintball does not in my opinion need anyone who is willing to resort to assault, it is simply not needed. Assault aside it is MASSIVELY damaging to the sport, would you consider letting your teenage son/daughter travel to events knowing there is a risk of him getting assaulted? no you wouldn't, the sport will never grow if a minority of players do stupid things like this which could result in scaring off new players. throw in a few more instances and what is a small ripple in a pond becomes a potential tidal wave.