A clip from a pickleball tournament in Mexico has gone viral after a player from the losing team kicked a winning player in the head following the end of the game.
This video is absolutely insane.
— The Kitchen Pickleball 👨🏻🍳 (@TheKitchenPB) November 18, 2024
It occurred after championship point from a tournament this weekend and the man that was assaulted, Peter Shonk, shared this video with us to post and wants everyone to know that he is ok.
While I understand things get heated at tournaments… pic.twitter.com/Mxxic8FbbS
"This video is absolutely insane," pickleball community profile The Kitchen Pickleball said in its caption, posting the video on X. "It occurred after championship point from a tournament this weekend and the man that was assaulted, Peter Shonk, shared this video with us to post and wants everyone to know that he is OK.
"While I understand things get heated at tournaments this behavior is disgusting and completely unacceptable. I love pickleball as much as anyone I know but at the end of the day...it's just pickleball. Thankful that Peter wasn't seriously injured," they continued.
Shonk, the victim of the kick, shared the video of the assault after he and his partner, Sylvain Bouchard, achieved victory in the Men's Advance section of the Quintana Roo International at Pickleball Club Playa Del Carmen, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
In an interview with The Kitchen Pickleball blog, Shonk explained that the attack was the result of a misunderstanding. When going to acknowledge the opposing team following the end of the match, Shonk accidentally knocked his opponent's handle out of his hand, prompting a harsh response.
"I was just fired up after the win. I went to tap his paddle, and it fell out of his hand," Shonk told the blog. "I immediately bent to pick it up [for him] — no bad intentions — but what happened next shocked everyone."
"I have a family, two healthy businesses, and I play pickleball for recreation and challenge. I don't have time to waste with this guy," Shonk continued.
The kick allegedly left Shonk unconscious for three hours. He was even forced to go to a hospital for medical attention, but he decided not to press charges.
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