Referee attacked by youth basketball coach at game in Thousand Oaks, video shows

Wednesday, February 2, 2022
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KABC) -- A bystander's disturbing video shows a youth basketball coach attacking a referee while they were standing courtside at a game in Ventura County.

The seven-second clip has gone viral after the incident occurred at the Thousand Oaks Sports Academy facility on Saturday afternoon.

In the footage, the two men are facing each other -- almost nose to nose -- when the coach of the Cavs Youth Basketball team suddenly puts his hands around the referee's neck and pushes him backward. The referee then grips the coach's neck as several men attempt to intervene.

The circumstances that led to the confrontation were unclear. No serious injuries were reported.

The players on the Cavs team, which is based in Los Angeles, are age 10 and younger.

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The team's president did not immediately respond to ABC7's request for comment.

The coach was reportedly fired the day after the altercation, which occurred during the Power 3 Classic Tournament at the Sports Academy.

The tournament provided officials for the games.

A spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff's Department said the matter was reported later on Saturday, but the individuals who were involved had already departed from the facility by the time a responding deputy arrived.

After viewing the video, the spokesperson described the attack as a possible misdemeanor battery, adding that the victim would have to file a report before requesting prosecution of the suspect.
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