Soccer player takes aim at reporter with shot during training (Video)

Colombian winger Carlos Darwin Quintero will be “sanctioned internally” by Club America after what the Mexican club called an “unfortunate action he carried out during training.”

That “unfortunate action”? Trying to drill a reporter with a shot while the reporter was on live TV.

As you can see, ESPN’s Marcelino Fernandez was filming a spot a good distance away from the field at Club America’s training ground when a ball whizzed past his left shoulder:

Quintero denied that he had targeted Fernandez. “At no time did I shoot the ball to hit him,” Quintero said. “We were betting on who could hit the tree, because at this angle it was really hard to hit it at the reporter from that angle. Before you say something, you should investigate better.”

But the video, especially when you slow down and zoom in, make Quintero’s explanation pretty tough to believe. His teammates are all watching on with interest as he takes aim. And when the ball barely misses Fernandez, Quintero reacts with humorous frustration. He probably saw the video, realized there was also a tree in the vicinity, and picked that as his excuse.

[Your chance to win on football’s biggest day. Sign up for Squares Pick’em]

The club, on the other hand, is treating the matter far more seriously, and, in addition to the “sanction,” apologized to Fernandez and his crew, “as well as anyone who may have been offended by what happened.”

We’ll see what “sanction” actually means, though. Club America didn’t specify. It has a Liga MX Clausura Saturday night against Atlas. Quintero’s starting spot is in question anyway, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him play, either from the start or off the bench.

Either way, hopefully Quintero learns his lesson: If you’re going to take a shot at a reporter, make sure you’re not in the frame of his camera. That way, there’ll be no incriminating video evidence.