Football Referee Dies After Punch From Player

A referee who was left in a coma after being punched by a teenage player during a game a week ago has died.

Ricardo Portillo, 46, of Salt Lake City, died in the hospital where he was being treated following the assault on Saturday night.

Police have accused a 17-year-old player of punching Mr Portillo after he gave him a yellow card for a foul.

Spokesman Justin Hoyal said: "The suspect was close to Portillo and punched him once in the face as a result of the call."

The teenager has been booked into juvenile detention on suspicion of aggravated assault. Mr Hoyal said authorities will consider additional charges following the referee's death.

The cause of death has not been given. An autopsy is to be carried out later.

Mr Portillo's family and friends

Mr Portillo suffered swelling in his brain and had been listed as being in a critical condition at the Intermountain Medical Centre in Murray, Salt Lake City, where he was treated.

Johana Portillo, 26, said last week she had been told by witnesses that the player hit her father in the side of the head.

She said: "When he was writing down his notes, he just came out of nowhere and punched him."

The teenager was playing in goal during a junior high school match when he was cautioned for pushing an opposition player.

He began arguing with Mr Portillo before punching him in the face.

Mr Portillo asked to be held up because he felt dizzy, but then sat down and began vomiting blood.

By the time an ambulance arrived he had fallen into a coma.

His family said he had been attacked before while refereeing games. Johana said they had begged him to stop because of the risk from angry players.

She said: "It was his passion. We could not tell him no."

source: sky news