Chinese Youth Ice Hockey Player Gets Physical in International Match – Attacks Referee and Gets Team Expelled

A youth sports exchange ice hockey match turned into a major controversy when a player attacked a referee. A 14-year-old Chinese ice hockey player, dissatisfied with a penalty during the game, rushed at and punched a Thai referee on the spot, ultimately causing his team to be disqualified from the remainder of the tournament and sent home early.

According to Thai media outlet "Khaosod," the incident took place recently at the "2026 Bangkok Flying Ice Hockey Championship." The tournament was an Under-14 (U14) Group B competition, with the Chinese team Anesthetist up against the Thailand A/B Hockey team.

Reports state the player involved is a 14-year-old forward from Chengdu, China, wearing jersey number 77, who is also one of the team's top scorers. In the previous four games, he scored 10 goals and provided 1 assist, making him the team’s standout performer.

According to eyewitnesses and Thai media, near the end of the game, the player was penalized for a physical play. Unhappy with the call, he first body-checked the referee. As a result, the referee ejected him per the rules.

However, the player continued to lose his temper while leaving, not only pushing the referee again but also seizing the chance to punch him, which caused an uproar at the venue.

The referee who was attacked was not an ordinary amateur referee, but a former player and coach of Thailand's men's national ice hockey team, "Coach Ong," who is now active in Thailand's ice hockey training and officiating and is a well-known figure in the local ice hockey community.

It is understood that at the time, the Anesthetist team was trailing 1-5. Several parents at the scene stated that the referee’s penalty did not appear controversial, and the player may have lost control due to pressure as his team’s star player while facing a heavy defeat.

A parent who has watched youth ice hockey for years commented that while ice hockey is a high-contact sport where collisions are common, an attack on a referee is extremely rare.

"I’ve watched hockey for many years and have never seen a player directly rush at or even assault a referee. Even if they disagree with a call, players usually just question it or accept the punishment, but it never escalates to violence."

The tournament organizers later held a meeting and decided to disqualify Anesthetist from their remaining two games, expelling the entire team from the tournament. The team has since returned to China.