(foto: Posnetek zaslona)
An Indonesian fourth-division player received a lifetime ban after a brutal, intentional foul that shocked the football world and was deemed to seriously endanger an opponent’s life.
Football rarely sees punishments as severe as this.
The Indonesian Football Association has issued a lifetime ban to Muhammad Hilmi Gimnastiara, a player of fourth-division side PS Putra, following one of the most brutal fouls seen in recent years.
The incident happened in July last year, during a league match in which his team was already losing 4-1. Frustration, however, cannot explain what followed.
In a full sprint, Gimnastiara launched himself at an opponent and kicked him directly in the chest with the sole of his foot, with no intention of playing the ball. The referee immediately showed a straight red card.
Video footage of the tackle quickly spread on social media, causing outrage across Indonesia and beyond. Many described the challenge as one of the most dangerous they had ever seen.
PS Putra reacted immediately and terminated the player’s contract on the same day. But that turned out to be only the beginning.
After months of investigation, the disciplinary committee of the Indonesian FA concluded that the act was intentional, extremely violent and a serious threat to the safety of the opponent.
In their official explanation, they stated that the foul had no sporting justification and that it could have caused severe or even fatal consequences for the injured player.
Because of that, the federation decided to impose the maximum possible sanction: a lifetime ban from football in any form.
“Such actions have no place in sport, regardless of the level of competition,” the statement said, adding that the decision was also made to protect players and the reputation of the game.
The case is now being cited in Indonesia as a clear warning: even in the lower leagues, extreme violence on the pitch can end a career forever.