FERWAFA official dismissed after Rwanda are penalised

Football governing body (Ferwafa) has dismissed Amavubi national team manager Jackson Rutayisire just days after (CAF) Disciplinary Board charged Rwanda for fielding a suspended player in Kevin Muhire during a 2023 AFCON Group L qualifier against Benin held in Kigali on March 29. The pair played out a 1-1 draw in Kigali but Benin immediately lodged a complaint to CAF arguing that the Kuwait-based midfielder was not supposed to play the game in Kigali after receiving two yellow cards in two consecutive AFCON qualifying matches. Muhire had been booked twice in the qualifiers before Ferrer mistakenly named him on the team sheet in a match against Benin in Kigali. He was first booked during Rwanda’s 1-0 defeat to Senegal in On June 7, 2022 before picking another yellow card against Benin during the first leg match in Cotonou on March 22. Rutayisire was supposed to have recorded the two bookings and inform Rwanda coach Carlos Ferrer about his suspension. However, he did not communicate the suspension until the Spanish coach introduced the midfielder in the team’s starting lineup against Benin at Kigali Pele Stadium. READ ALSO: CAF charges Rwanda over fielding ‘suspended’ Muhire in Benin qualifier The mistake cost Amavubi a point from the draw as CAF lapped Rwanda a 3-0 forfeit against the country over fielding the player who was ineligible to play the match in accordance with article 105 of the disciplinary code after ruling that Benin’s appeal was valid. As a result, Benin climbed to the third place of Group L level with second-placed Mozambique on four points in four matches while Rwanda dropped to bottom of the table with two points, putting Amavubi’s race for a ticket to the 2023 AFCON finals in jeopardy. Besides Rutayisire’s dismissal, the FA also issued an apology to all Rwandans for the mistakes made and promised that every individual involved in the case will be held accountable. With the current development, Amavubi must pray Senegal defeat Benin in Cotonou and, on their part, win their two remaining qualifiers against the Africa champions and Mozambique. Rwanda will host both fixtures should the issue of standard stadiums get solved in due course.

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FERWAFA official dismissed after Rwanda are penalised