A man was arrested during a soccer game in West Vancouver last weekend after a heated argument between parents and bystanders resulted in a woman being punched in the face.
The game was between two U21 teams at Ambleside Park on Saturday evening, said Const. Jeff Palmer. Officers responded to reports of an assault around 5:50 p.m.
Police arrived to find a group of parents gathered around a car, apparently trying to stop a man from leaving.
According to witnesses, the ball rolled out of bounds late in the game and was picked up by a parent on the sidelines.
“Apparently players believe that a parent from the opposing team was holding the ball, attempting to allow the game time to run out,” Palmer said. “That triggered an argument between a player and the parent accused of holding the ball, which engaged more players and parents.”
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Somewhere in the altercation, a punch was thrown, striking a 45-year-old woman in the face. But according to witness statements, she may not have been the intended target, Palmer said.
Police are considering forwarding an assault charge. The 42-year-old man was released on a promise to appear in provincial court in Vancouver on April 24.
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