Texas HS football player suspended from future games after ref attack

EDINBURG, Texas (KTRK) -- A Texas high school football player who ran onto the field and blindsided a referee who had ejected him from a game has been suspended from all sanctioned activities, including football, for the remainder of the school year, a University Interscholastic League panel ruled Monday.

UIL said Edinburg High School senior Emmanuel Duron's punishment was for violation of prohibited interaction with a sports official tied to the incident during a Dec. 3 game.
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WATCH: The moment when the high school football referee was attacked


The governing body also punished Edinburg High School and head football coach J.J. Leija, who was placed on probation for the 2021-2022 school year.

Edinburgh's athletic department was placed on probation for two years.

Duron, a high school senior who played defensive line, was arrested for the hit, charged with class A assault, a misdemeanor.



According to officials, Duron came running from the sideline area after the referee had announced the ejection, slamming into the official during the first half of the zone play-in game against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo in Edinburg, which is located more than 200 miles south of San Antonio.
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Duron was escorted from the stadium by police officers. The Monitor of McAllen reported the referee, who the newspaper identified as Fred Gracia, was evaluated for a concussion and a shoulder injury by medical personnel at the stadium.

SEE ALSO: Texas prep player faces assault charge, team out of playoffs

As a result of the assault, the district removed Edinburg High School's football team from the playoffs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.