 After one season in Bulgaria, Ricard moved to Japan, where he joined Second Division side Shonan Bellmare.Since leaving Middlesbrough, Ricard courted controversy both on and off the pitch.In 2002, he was involved in a car accident that killed a passenger, and was banned from football for 12 months for attacking a referee and making obscene gestures to the crowd while playing for Guayaquil side Emelec.