EASTERN PROVINCE Ngoma — Down by one point with thirty minutes left to play in the Eastern Province basketball finals yesterday, Kayonza abandoned the match after allegations of bias by a ‘fake’ referee.Playing against Ngoma, Kayonza team accused a referee unaccredited with the Rwanda Basketball Federation (RBF) of bias when the team was refused foul shots after an attack on team player Valerie.Following the refusal by the referee, coach for Kayonza Claude Mukurarinda called his players off the pitch to abandon the game. “I cannot play a match where the referee is showing sides,” Mukurarinda said. “Moreover the referee is not qualified and on top of that he is not from the federation.” Mukurarinda further said that Ngoma refused the [Kayonza] referee they came with and instead brought their referee from their district “so that they can win the game.” “I even complained to the match officials about the referee before the match begun but they could not hear my complaints. Even when the match started, I complained over eight times over the fouls made by Ngoma players to my players, of which the referee would not consider.”“I better lose the match by not playing rather than losing it due to the referee’s intended mistakes,” Mukurarinda claimed. However both sides tried to reach on an understanding by giving a whistle to the referee brought by the Kayonza, but Adolf Bayigi, the referee who had started the game, refused to hand over the whistle saying that he could not abandon the game he had been chosen to officiate. “How can I hand over the whistle when I have been selected to officiate?” Adolf said. “No referee has ever been changed after the game has started.” “Let them go ahead and complain about my referee qualification if they think I am not qualified. I will make my report as a referee and it’s about the federation’s decision to award Ngoma as winners or to put a re-match.” “They should have abandoned it before it started,” Adolf added. Jean Bosco Rutagendwa, in charge of sports in Ngoma district, said they would take a report to the regional sports office and if they refuse to award them as winners, they would go with the federation’s decision.The score at the time of forfeit was 22-21, Ngoma leading.Ends
