Soccer Player Banned for Life in a Championship Series?
- Fred
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
The highest level of indoor soccer in America is the MASL. The Major Arena Soccer League is currently between games 2 and 3 in its Best of Three Championship Series.
At the end of Game 1 in Milwaukee last Wednesday, things were getting a bit chippy the last 2 minutes with the San Diego Sockers up 5-4 over the home town Wave.
Not familiar with the Sockers? They are arguably the most successful indoor soccer team in history:
With a win in Milwaukee, and the series shifting back to San Diego for the second game, it would have been a slam dunk that San Diego would win their 17th Championship.
But then things started to get really ugly. With only one second left in the game, it appeared Sockers defender # 29 Cesar Cerda purposely kicked a Wave player in the testicles. The ref was on top of the play and Cerda received a Red Card. A brief fracas broke out, but both teams quickly went their separate ways.
The referees huddled together after the game and again confirmed the Red Card.
But at the other end of the arena, as the San Diego Sockers were exiting the turf and words were said between Sockers players and Wave fans, some of Milwaukee's finest started chucking beers at the players. At least 3 drinks were hurled before the players confronted the fans. It appeared at least two fans were grabbed/shoved by Sockers players on their way out of the tunnel.
The melee didn't end until the referees pushed the Sockers from the action.
The MASL acted quickly and decisively, releasing this statement the very next day:
As a result of this review, the MASL is issuing the following disciplinary actions:
San Diego Sockers:
Stefan Mijatovic: Permanently expelled from the Major Arena Soccer League for severe and violent conduct. Mijatovic is banned from all MASL activities and facilities. This action reflects a direct violation of his zero tolerance probation status.
Luiz Morales: Issued a one (1) game suspension and fined an undisclosed amount for severe and violent conduct.
Jesus Pacheco: Issued a one (1) game suspension and fined an undisclosed amount for severe and violent conduct.
Sebastian Mendez: Fined an undisclosed amount for severe and violent conduct.
Tavoy Morgan: Fined an undisclosed amount for severe and violent conduct while on disciplinary probation.
Cesar Cerda: Automatic one (1) game suspension and a fine of an undisclosed amount following a red card for severe and violent conduct. Upon formal review, the appeal to rescind the red card has been denied, as the decision did not meet the threshold of a clear and obvious error required to overturn the referee’s ruling.
In addition, the Office of the Commissioner has issued a fine of an undisclosed amount to both the Milwaukee Wave and the San Diego Sockers organizations for failure to maintain proper bench and postgame decorum, actions deemed conduct detrimental to the league.
With 4 players banned, including one for life, San Diego fell to the Milwaukee Wave 7-2 on Friday.
Game Three is tonight at 10:00 at home for the Sockers. With the Sockers back at full strength, minus Mijatovic, I fully expect San Diego to win another Ron Newman Cup.
But I thought to myself, "I don't ever remember a player being banned for life DURING a championship series." So I went to AI for some help and asked: "Has a player ever been banned for life in a championship game or series?"
1919 World Series ("Black Sox" Scandal): Eight Chicago White Sox players, including the famous "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, were banned for life by MLB Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis for conspiring with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
1946 NFL Championship Game: New York Giants fullback Merle Hapes was suspended indefinitely (effectively a life ban) by NFL Commissioner Bert Bell before the championship game for failing to report a bribe offer from a gambler, Alvin Paris, to throw the game against the Chicago Bears. His teammate, Frank Filchock, played in the game but was later banned for his involvement, though he was reinstated years later.
1927 Stanley Cup Finals: Montreal Maroons player Billy Coutu was banned for life by NHL President Frank Calder for assaulting two referees in a hallway following a Game 4 loss in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Ottawa Senators. His ban was later lifted, but he never played in the NHL again.
Okay, but one example is 80 years old, and the other two are from a century ago.
What happened in Milwaukee is really unprecedented in modern sports. To me, Stefan Mijatovic throwing an object back at a fan is not a "banned for life" offense.....
But then I did a little more digging.
There was the time Mijatovic charged into the stands to fight the fans himself.
And, as I was going through the list of his suspensions, I also noticed that he rarely played whole seasons, while playing for 9 different teams in a 10 year span. Impressive (in a bad way) for a player that's only 29. Apparently earlier this year, the MASL warned Mijatovic that his repeated offenses had placed him on the "zero tolerance" list.
Is it possible Mijatovic gets a Championship Trophy, then ends up in the MLIS (Major League Indoor Soccer) next year?
Not only is it possible, but probable.