
Fans have called for a footballer to be banned for life after he was involved in a sickening incident during a match.
The incident occurred during a semi-professional match in New South Wales, Australia.
National Premier Leagues NSW side NWS Spirit FC recorded a 1-0 victory over Sutherland Sharks in what was the first match of the season for both sides.
But on 70 minutes, Sutherland's Jamie Percevski was the victim of an off-the-ball incident that overshadowed proceedings.
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A Spirit player wearing shirt number nine stamped on Percevski's right Achilles, with the Sutherland player's foot appearing to twist sharply in the opposite direction as he went to ground.
The league's official match report states that the referee held a 'consultation with his assistant' after a Spirit player had been seen 'appearing to step on the ankle of Jamie Percevski', and showed the player his marching orders on 70 minutes. Percevski was substituted on 72 minutes. SPORTbible have contacted Football NSW for comment.
The sickening incident was filmed and posted to social media, where it has subsequently gone viral.
And fans have called on Football NSW, who administrate the league, to issue the offending player a lengthy - and potentially lifetime - ban for his actions.
One fan wrote: "The NPL is tough, but that crossed the line. Players deserve better protection and Football NSW need to make a stance with a long suspension for the player guilty."
A second agreed: "Whoever this is needs to get rubbed out of the game for a long, long time."
A third said: "That's just being malicious when he thought no-one could see. Hope he's bricking it now the video's come out."
While a fourth stated: "Sorry but that's assault. If he hasn't got a broken ankle or ligament damage from that I'd be surprised... completely uncalled for."
Percevski, who was born in Sydney and also has North Macedonian citizenship, has had a nomadic career around various lower-league clubs in Australia and Germany before returning to Sydney last year.
He was part of the youth setup at Western Sydney Wanderers, who play in the Australian A-League, but didn't make a senior appearance.