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A Namibian rugby player has been handed a lifetime ban after tackling the referee, which can be seen in shocking footage that went viral on social media.

The Grootfontein Rugby Club player tackled the match official after his side were penalised during a match against the Reho Falcons last month, per Planet Rugby.

The unnamed player can be seen walking away from the rest of the players, before turning towards the referee and brutally tackling him.

The match official was thankfully not seriously injured by the disgraceful act and went on to red-card the offending player before calling off the game, citing safety concerns.

The Namibian Rugby Union have banned a player from Grootfontein Rugby Club for life after this incident which was caught on camera.

He faces a lifetime ban from playing, as well as a 156-week ban from all other forms of rugby including coaching, refereeing, administration etc. pic.twitter.com/cshJydEBpt

— BallCarrier (@BallCarrier_) June 4, 2024

The video footage has since gone viral on multiple social media platforms, prompting the Namibia Rugby Union to take further action. They have since confirmed the outcome of a disciplinary hearing.

A statement from the governing body read: “The Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) has concluded a disciplinary hearing concerning an incident that occurred during a match on 18 May 2024. During this match, a player from the Grootfontein Rugby Club engaged in conduct deemed detrimental to the sport and the NRU.”

A summation of the incident added: “The player ran towards the match referee and tackled him, causing the referee to fall to the ground. This incident led to the referee issuing a red card to the player and ending the match prematurely due to concerns for his safety.”

The hearing included evidence from the referee’s report, footage of the incident, as well as the player pleading guilty to the charges under World Rugby Laws 9.11, 9.12, 9.27, and 9.28.

Law 9.11: “Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others including leading with the elbow or forearm, or jumping into, or over, a tackler.”

Law 9.12: “A player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm, shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling, tripping or kicking.”

Law 9.27: A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship.

Law 9.28: Players must respect the authority of the referee. They must not dispute the referee’s decisions. They must stop playing immediately when the referee blows the whistle to stop play.

After pleading guilty to these charges, the disciplinary committee imposed the following sanctions: a lifetime ban from playing rugby and a 156-week ban from all forms of rugby, including coaching, refereeing, and administration, effective from 30 May 2024. This ban will end on 31 May 2027, contingent upon clearance by the NRU for participation in non-playing roles.

“The committee emphasised the severity of the offense, noting the potential for serious injury to the match official, the deliberate nature of the act, and the negative impact on the reputation of the NRU and the sport of rugby internationally,” the statement added.

It concluded that the NRU reaffirms its commitment to upholding the integrity and safety of the sport and will not tolerate any actions that jeopardise these values.

[source:planetrugby]