Two South Louisiana Referees Arrested During Football Game

It was a fairly tight game between St. Paul's and Mandeville when two referees were arrested by Covington police for public intimidation.

According to WWL-TV, a sideline argument developed over crowd control between the referees and the police officers at the game.

WWL Radio reports that the referees walked over to the sideline to ask the police officers to get the crowd to back up.  According in an interview on WWL with St. Paul's Athletic Director Craig Ketelson, the police officer did get the crowd to move back.  Then another referee walked over and said that the crowd was not far enough back.

Ketelson told WWL, "The police officer explained....would you please handle the game, referee the game, and we will handle the crowd for you." That's when things got heated and the second referee told the officer to leave the game.

After trying to reason with the referees, according to Ketelson on WWL, the second referee reiterated his stance and told the officer to leave. Soon after, the officers arrested the two referees on public intimidation charges.

WWL-TV reports the two referees, 55-year-old Christopher Gambino and 54-year-old James Radcliffe are free today after each posting $5,000 signature bonds.

Do you think parents are too involved in their kids' sports events? Could something like this happen in our part of the state?

Let us hear your comments!