RWANDA Football Federation (Ferwafa) has reduced the penalties and fines imposed on Rayon Sports and their officials following inappropriate conduct in the last month’s league match against AS Kigali. 

In a communication from Ferwafa’s disciplinary committee, Belgian head coach Luc Eymael’s penalty has been reduced from two years to eight matches for having assaulted the referee, and fined Rwf200, 000. 

The penalty for lead striker Cedric Amissi was never reduced because he didn’t appeal in person (appeal was made by the club). He will still serve a six-match ban and pay fine of Rwf50,000. 

For the club’s Secretary General Olivier Gakwaya who was initially handed a two-year ban for his role in mobilising fans, encouraging them to chant anti-Degaule songs aimed at Ferwafa chairman Vincent Degaule Nzamwita, the appeal committee found no evidence but nonetheless handed him an eight-match suspension after he was heard live on a radio station calling on fans to fight the new football administration. 

He was also fined Rwf200,000.

The appeal for Claude Muhawenimana, Rayon Sports fan club chairman who had been banned for two years and slapped a fine of Rwf500, 000, is yet to be heard since the petitioner was still under detention for his role in the scuffle. 

Ferwafa will look into his matter in the coming days since he has been released and declared innocent of all the charges against him. 

Rayon Sports club chairman Theogene Ntamapaka said yesterday in a news conference that the club was satisfied with the new development and will foot the costs to repair the damaged properties at the stadium which include the vehicle of Fifa assistant referee Ambroise Hakizimana.