NRFF slams 7month ban on Hawkster

The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation has announced a 24-week suspension of Hawkster Athletics RFC from its sanctioned games.                                    

 The pronouncement came following the verdict of the Disciplinary Committee of the NRFF after a report was filed by the organisers of the independence 7's rugby tournament.

In the report filed by the organizers of the Independence 7's rugby, the club was alleged to have deliberately abandoned their match while also indicting their coach and a player of Hawster Athletics for verbally abusing match officials.

“After a thorough investigation, the Disciplinary Committee of the Federation in line with IRB Sanction in Regulation-17, 10.4 (m & s) and 10 .4 (m), thereby suspends Stephen James from participating in any NRFF sanctioned matches for 24 weeks for verbal abuse of official.”

Emeka Ukome, Hawkster Athletics coach was also suspended from participating in any NRFF sanctioned events for 48 weeks for ushering his team out of the field whilst a match was in progress and verbally abusing match officials in the process.

Hawkster Athletics as a club was also not spared as they have been suspended from participating in any NRFF sanctioned event for 24 weeks for abandoning a match and bringing the game into disrepute while Richard Raphael who officiated the match in question will be summoned to face a disciplinary panel and may be sanctioned according to IRB referee laws if found to be culpable.