ZAGREB: Croatian boxer Vido Loncar was suspended for life by the national boxing federation Tuesday after he knocked down a referee at the European youth championship here unsatisfied after losing the match.

Loncar was “suspended from boxing for life” over his “brutal attack on an official,” a federation statement said after an emergency session of its executive committee over the incident.

The savage attack against the referee occurred on Monday as Loncar, apparently unhappy with the referee’s decision to halt the match before proclaiming the victory of his rival, brutally attacked him.

Loncar knocked down Polish referee Magej Dziurgot and hit him several times before he was dragged by his ankles out from the ring.

He was boxing against Lithuanian Algirdas Baniulis who fled the ring when Loncar attacked the referee.

The footage of the attack was posted on the Internet.

The Croatian federation apologised to both World Boxing Organisation, the European Boxing Organisation and all other relevant boxing bodies for the “damage Loncar caused by his act.” It also deeply apologised to the family of the referee who was hospitalised.

Loncar was detained after the attack.

“This is the worst thing which could have happened, a big shame for Zagreb and Croatia,” the federation’s secretary general Marko Marovic said. “All the efforts that we have put into organisation of this championship and boosting of the image of Croatia’s boxing were destroyed in a few seconds.”

The European Youth Championship is taking place in the Croatian capital from Oct 17 to 26.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2014