Ref stabs player in Brazil, outraged fans respond by beheading him and placing his head on a stake

According to sensational reports from Brazil, a referee stabbed a player during an amateur match, following which fans exacted revenge by beheading him and placing his head on a stake.

Crazy things often happen during South American matches but it’s fair to say you won’t come across a more shocking or tragic story than what is alleged to have happened during an amateur game in Brazil recently. According to reports in Brazil (if you can read Portuguese click here), during an amateur match last weekend, 20-year old referee Otavio Jordao da Silva, who had been carrying a knife on his person throughout proceedings, stabbed 30-year old player Josenir dos Santos Abreu to death after the pair of them became engaged in a heated argument on the pitch. The victim of the stabbing was rushed to hospital but died on the way, but it was far from the only shocking and tragic incident to occur on the day. Outraged by what they had witnessed, some spectators decided to exact revenge and the referee was tied up, beaten, stoned and finally beheaded, before his head was put on a stake and placed in the middle of the pitch. Police are investigating the incident and having already arrested one man who has admitted to assault but denied murder; they are searching for two more suspects as well as waiting on footage of the incident that was filmed on a mobile phone. Absolutely senseless, shocking stuff. Hat-tip: Eurosport