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A Bishops Diocesan College former pupil Bingo Ivanisevic has been charged with the assault of a rival team member, Ross Stone from Rondebosch Boys High.

During the BishBosch water polo match six years ago, Bingo allegedly punched Ross in the mouth, resulting in several of his teeth being dislodged. One of those missing teeth was apparently retrieved from the bottom of the pool.

The incident occurred during an U.19 water polo match at Bishops on February 3, 2018, where at the time, Ivanisevic was charged with “misconduct and unsportsmanlike conduct according to school policy” during disciplinary hearings at his school, per IOL.

 

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Bingo was red-carded during the match as he had caused severe injury to Ross’s face, teeth and jaw, and was subjected to further disciplinary action against him including a seven-match ban.

Bingo told the court when testifying in his own defence this week that this reaction of self-defence came from “adrenalin pumping through my veins and the fact that I was drowning and out of every incident, I came off second best”.

“There are always two sides to a story and my side was never allowed to be heard,” Ivanisevic told the court.

However, Ross’s advocate, Paul Eia, stood strong, submitting that Bingo’s version of events “was a lie” and in his evidence-in-chief “tried to reason why this incident happened”.

Bingo vehemently denied that his version of events was a lie.

The court heard that leading up to the assault, in the fourth chukka of the match, Stone was bearing down for a goal but was dispossessed after being knocked on his right arm and a 5m penalty was afforded to the Rondebosch team.

It was Ivanisevic’s version that he had dried up Stone’s goal-scoring during the match and through a “tactical call” by his coach, he had marked Stone to neutralise Stone’s goal-scoring.

It was at that time that Bingo allegedly throttled Ross, making him lose some of his teeth.

Bingo’s version claims that he was “being pulled down underwater and attacked at the genitals” by Ross and was drowning. But advocate Eia pointed out that this scuffle was not reported to the disciplinary committee at his school and neither to his fellow team members. The two referees of the match also didn’t note these happenings.

Graphic images provided by Ross’s legal team show the bloodied teen who underwent surgery after his teeth were bashed into his gums. He also suffered a cracked bone.

Image: Legal firm representing the plaintiff

According to a statement, Ross’s medical expenses amounted to approximately R200,000 with future costs predicted to amount to about R350,000 for further medical treatment (two further implants) and general damages in respect of pain, suffering and trauma.

“The plaintiff (Stone) has suffered a loss of amenities of life, experienced pain, emotional anxiety and shock, suffering, disfigurement in the past and will do so in the future,” the claim states.

The court case has not concluded, but Bingo’s ‘BishBosch’ water polo punch may result in him forking out a whopping R650,000 for the damages claim.

The trial continues.

[source:iol]