A Namibian rugby player has been banned from the game for life after attacking a referee.
The player, who has not been named, aggressively tackled the official during a match last month. The player competed for Grootfontein Rugby Club and the side were playing against the Reho Falcons.
A yellow card was handed to Grootfontein player which sparked the incident. The now banned player ran towards the referee, forcibly tackling him to the ground and he had to be dragged off of the official.
At the time of the incident Grootfontein are understood to be trailing by two points. After the referee was attacked he red carded the player and then brought an end to the game. The referee in question was not seriously hurt.
The decision to ban the player from competing for life was taken by a disciplinary panel. He will also not be able to take part in the game at any level for three years.
Namibian Rugby Union said in a statement: “The committee emphasised the severity of the offence, noting the potential for serious injury to the match official, the deliberate nature of the act, and the negative impact on the reputation of the NRU and the sport of rugby internationally.
“Our commitment to the safety and integrity of rugby remains unwavering.”
A description of the incident was detailed in their statement. It read: “The player ran towards the match referee and tackled him, causing the referee to fall to the ground. This incident led to the referee issuing a red card to the player and ending the match prematurely due to concerns for his safety.”
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