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Refereeing is meant to be a respected and important part of sports. But in some tragic cases, referees have lost their lives just for doing their job.
Here are five shocking stories where referees were murdered in terrible circumstances.
1. Patrick Ngalamulume – DRC (2025)
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In May 2025, a horrifying incident happened in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. A well-known local referee, Patrick Ngalamulume, popularly known as “Ngalas,” was accused of theft without any proof.
Pulse Ghana reported that a crowd in the Irambo area attacked him, beat him badly, and then set him on fire. Emergency services did not arrive in time to save him.
Ngalas, 36, was respected in the local football community and had no criminal record. His death highlights the growing insecurity and lawlessness in parts of eastern Congo.
READ ALSO: Referee burned alive to death by angry mob in DR Congo
2. Cesar Flores – Argentina (2016)
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Another shocking event took place in Argentina. In 2016, 48-year-old referee Cesar Flores was officiating a youth football match in Cordoba. After sending off a player for a foul, the young player left the pitch, returned with a gun, and shot Flores.
The referee died in hospital, and the killer ran away and has not been found. It was a heartbreaking and senseless loss of life over a simple match decision.
3. John Bieniewicz – USA (2014)
In the United States, John Bieniewicz, a referee in Detroit, was killed in 2014 during an over-30s match. As he was about to give a player a second yellow card, the player, Bassel Saad, punched him.
Bieniewicz later died in hospital. Saad was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
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4. Octavio da Silva – Brazil (2013)
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In Brazil, 2013, a young referee named Octavio da Silva was killed in a brutal and gruesome way. After stabbing a player who had attacked him, angry fans stormed the pitch, killed him, and cut off his head, placing it on a stake. It remains one of the most shocking incidents in football history.
5. Boxing referee – Croatia (2014)
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Finally, at a boxing event in Zagreb in 2014, Croatian boxer Vido Loncar attacked the referee after losing a match. He punched the referee to the ground and kept hitting him.
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Thankfully, the referee survived, and Loncar received a lifetime ban from the sport.