Fourth division Swiss league player banned for 50 years

A fourth division Swiss league player has been banned for 50 years after kicking a ball in the referee's face, then spraying him with water.

Defender Ricardo Ferreira of Portugal Futebol Clube kicked the ball at the referee's face from close range after his side's defeat to SC Worb in the local Bern league.

The incident occurred after the match where the unused substitute hurled insults at the referee, who gave the Portuguese player a red card for his antics, before he was squirted with water.

"We do not want such a player in our league," said Robert Breiter, according to The Guardian.

Breiter, the lawyer of Switzerland's amateur football league, continued: "Unfortunately we encounter such cases about once a year."

Ferreira is no stranger to trouble as he once received a 45-match ban after being found guilty of assaulting opposition players and officials.

The 28-year-old was given 50 years this time, as the governing body's computer required an end date to his indefinite suspension period, meaning the player won't be able to return to football until June 5, 2064.