Remember the sucker punch artist from the KHL? The player in question, Damir Ryspayev, has received a lifetime ban for his antics against the Kunlun Red Star.
If you need a refresher, here’s why he received the ban:
The incident was so bad that the Kunlun Red Star decided to forfeit the game and not continue playing.
Ryspayev had been known for his tough guy antics in the past, but this time he crossed the line.
KHL president Dmitry Chernyshenko had this to say about the lifetime ban:
“In hockey there has always been space for a fair fight between equal opponents under the principles of fair play. But in hockey, as in any other professional sport, the can be no place for the outright violence displayed by Barys defenseman Damir Ryspaev in the game against KHL newcomer Kunlun Red Star. We are constantly working to attract a new audience and broaden the game’s geographical reach and Ryspaev’s behavior is not merely harmful in a sporting context, it also blackens the image of the league. As directors of the league, we could not allow this incident to go unpunished and so we have taken this decision.”
