Second division league sides Gasabo United FC and Unity FC have been handed a one-year ban by local football governing body, FERWAFA, ruling them out of the 2016/2017 season.

The ban was upheld during FERWAFA’s Extra-Ordinary General Assembly held on September 17-18 at La Palme hotel in Musanze District.

The two clubs were banned on the grounds that in the 2015/2016 season, they missed three league matches without consent from FERWAFA.

In addition, the presidents of the two clubs, Raoul Gisanura (Gasabo United FC) and Emmanuel Kakye (Unity FC) each received a 5-year ban from all football-related activities.

According to Article 89 (1) of FERWAFA Competition regulations, any club that loses 3 matches by default during the same sporting season, is automatically excluded from the aforementioned championship and is relegated to a lower division.

In case there is no lower division, like is the case in Rwanda, such a club is suspended for a sporting season in all competitions.

Article 90 (4) states that, the president whose club has been declared a loser by default during his/her term of office shall, from then onwards and for five years, not be a member of the executive committee of any affiliated club or of a body of the Federation or of its leagues.

The general assembly also upheld a 2-year ban on SEC Academy FC president Augustin Munyandamutsa and a fine of Rwf500,000 for an offence against honour and incitement of violence as cited in Article 55 and 58 of the FFERWAFA Disciplinary Code.

The assembly also confirmed November 19 as the start date for the second division league, five weeks after the beginning of the topflight division league, which is set to start on October 14.

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