The Edinburg High School football player who was arrested after knocking a referee to the ground will be suspended for the rest of the academic school year, the UIL State Executive Committee voted on Monday.
Emmanuel Duron sprinted to the referee after he was ejected during a game against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School on Dec. 3. Although Edinburg High School won, the school forfeited its playoff spot due to the hit. Duron was arrested the next day and charged with assault, a Class-A misdemeanor offense.
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The committee voted to suspend Duron from any UIL activities for the rest of the school year due to “prohibited interaction with a sports official,” according to a news release from the UIL.
Duron was not the only person who was disciplined because of his actions.
The committee publicly reprimanded Edinburg High School Football Coach J.J. Leija and the Edinburg High School Athletic Department. Leija will be placed on probation for the 2021-2022 school year, while the athletic department will be on probation for two years, meaning they can face harsher punishment if other violations occur.
A similar incident occurred five years ago from a San Antonio high school.
In 2015, two John Jay High School football players hit a referee in the middle of a play. The San Antonio students pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault as did former John Jay assistant coach Mark Breed, who was accused of telling the players to attack the referee.
