Life bans for King Country rugby fans

Life bans for King Country rugby fans
By FLORENCE KERR - Waikato Times | Thursday, 11 September 2008
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Five people have been banned from rugby for life for attacking a referee and touch judge at a King Country rugby final. Two others were banned for five years.

Kio Kio supporter Tuamalie Patea and son Tavita Patea were banned for life at a rugby judicial hearing in Hamilton yesterday on charges of assaulting a touch judge and assaulting a touch judge and a spectator respectively.

A Kio Kio official, who is yet to be named, and players Tom Leitu and Ben Sapau were also handed down life bans for assaulting a touch judge and misconduct charges.

Rupena Young and Tulia Lafaele were given a five-year ban for assault. An eighth person escaped penalty because of insufficient evidence.

The censure comes a month after Kio Kio players, supporters and officials attacked the referee and touch judge after losing the King Country grand final match against Waitete.

The Kio Kio club was also found guilty of misconduct and placed on probation.

King Country Rugby Union chairman Andrew McCullough said the union was pleased with the outcome.

"Justice has prevailed. It's pretty clear in the rule book you hit a touch judge you are up for a life ban, it's black and white."

McCullough said it was the first time a union had taken a club to a judicial hearing for misconduct.

Kio Kio Club chairman Bruce Bowen, said the club members' actions were abysmal, but would not comment on the sentences. "I was upset, disgusted, this was out of the blue what happened."