A Ugandan Football Coach, Eric ‘Coach Kawowo’ Ndifuna has been banned for 8760 hours, an equivalent of 54 weeks (365 days) from active coaching for bringing the beautiful game into disrepute.
Ndifuna, 38, is a CAF C certified coach who by the time of his banning has been handling City Lads Football Club, a Kampala Regional team based in Nsambya, a suburb of the capital, Kampala.
According to the chairperson of the Kampala Regional League disciplinary committee, also the Chief Executive Officer of Kampala Regional Football Association, Isaac Ssengendo, Ndifuna slapped an assistant referee in the face during the match City Lads played against Nansana United F.C at London College, Nansana play ground.
Such character is unbearable. Coaches, like players and referees are typical role models in the game. We have banned him for 356 days with a fine of Shs 500,000. The matter could even be refereed to the police for prosecution in the courts of law.
Ndifuna plots to lodge in an official complaint, alleging the melee that followed could have been a mistaken identity.
That is totally unfair. I did not slap anybody, may be they saw someone else in the fracas. I will appeal the decision in a higher authority.
In a related development, the regional committee has also slammed a three match ban on Francisco Bwambale, an official with Kamwokya United for uttering vulgar words before, during and after matches.
The parent football governing body in the country, FUFA has promised to offer counseling services in the period the two affected officials will be on the sidelines.
FUFA public relations officer, Ahmed Hussein asserts;
We all want to watch the beautiful game peacefully. We shall counsel the two coaches in the period the two officials shall be sidelines.
There is room to soften on the ban in case the affected party appeals successfully.
