Winter Olympics 2022 - Ice Hockey at its best in Beijing as refs get whacked and players brawl

Ice Hockey has lived up to its reputation in Beijing with big brawls and referees bashed into the barriers. True to form, a huge brawl erupted in a fiery clash between Switzerland and the Russian Olympic Committee in the men's Ice Hockey.

Ad/> Switzerland's Reto Berra was crammed into the net as 'goalmouth scramble' took on a new meaning, with Mirco Muller swinging for Dmitri Voronkov. /> Beijing 2022'People love to see refs get hit' — Official gets decked by accidental ice hockey bargeAN HOUR AGO But such brawls are normal in this sport, as commentators and fans remained calm as punches flew, with the referee merely calming the two sides down before play resumed.

In the same match, which Russia won 1-0, the referee was on the receiving end of a knock himself as he was accidentally rammed into the sideboards by Switzerland's Raphael Diaz, crushed between player and wall before slipping over. «If there was a crowd in the arena there would have been a standing ovation,» said commentator Richard Boprey.

«People love to see the refs get hit.» And the official took a battering in the women's Ice Hockey too when the USA took on Canada. Amanda Kessel's stick caught the referee just above the mouth, forcing her to leave the rink and seek medical attention.

It's not a sport for the faint of heart. -- Watch every moment of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on discovery+ /> Beijing 2022'This is where it gets ugly!' — Huge brawl delays fiery ice hockey clash at Beijing 2022AN HOUR AGO Beijing 2022Russians start men's ice hockey title defence with narrow win3 HOURS AGO