Texas high school football player arrested for attacking ref suspended from all athletic activities
Emmanuel Duron was already facing an assault charge for blindsiding a referee during a high school football game in Texas.
On Monday he learned that the attack will cost him the rest of his high school athletic career. Members of Texas’ University Interscholastic League executive committee voted 5-0 on Monday to suspend Duron from competing in athletics for the remainder of the 2020-21 school calendar, according to The Monitor in McCallen.
As a senior, Duron’s run as a high school sports star in South Texas is over. A standout defensive lineman for Edinburg High School, Duron was named an All-Area wrestler last season and was expected to compete for a state wrestling championship in the spring. He was also the football team’s kicker and punter, and named District 31-6A Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.
Duron’s attack could cost entire school
The UIC also announced that Edinburg football coach J.J. Leija will be placed on probation for the 2021-22 school year. The school’s entire athletic department will be placed on probation immediately through the 2022-23 school year.
Further violations during the probationary period may lead to additional punishment that could include the school’s athletic department being barred from postseason play for up to three years.
What happened
The punishments stem from from an incident during Edinburg’s 35-21 victory over Pharr-San Juan-Alamo on Dec. 3. During the game, officials flagged Duron for roughing the passer and unsportsmanlike conduct. The second flagged appeared to stem from Duron contesting the roughing penalty during an exchange with an official.
Referee Fred Gracia announced the penalties and Duron’s ejection from the game. Duron then ran from the sideline and slammed Gracia to the turf. The 58-year-old official was turned the other way when Duron attacked him. The incident was captured on video.
Duron faces assault charge, apologizes
Police escorted Duron from the game after the attack. Gracia was treated on the scene for a shoulder injury and concussion-like symptoms and didn’t return to the game, according to the Monitor.
Edinburg qualified for the playoffs with the win that night. The Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District removed the team from the postseason the next day because of the attack.
Duron was charged that same Friday with assault causing bodily injury and held on a $10,000 bond that was posted that evening.
Duron released a statement after Monday’s decision.
“I’d like to say that I’m sorry for what happened to my coaches, my family and to the UIL,” Duron’s statement read.
More from Yahoo Sports:
