1 Aug 2011

Sport: Nu'uuli players involved in ref assault banned for life; club suspended, fined

10:30 am on 1 August 2011

All Nu'uuli rugby players proven to have taken part in the assault of a referee last weekend have been banned from the sport for life.

Ponifasio Vasa was punched and kicked as he was explaining a decision during the shield match between Nu'uuli and Avele.

He suffered a broken nose for which he needed surgery and was finally discharged from the LBJ Hospital on Friday local time.

The Executive Secretary for the American Samoa Rugby Union, Moli Lemana, says the Union's Board has also suspended Nu'uuli and its teams from competition for five years, and fined the club five thousand US dollars.

"Only those who have never played, or those who did not play, they can play for other clubs but anyone that has been listed in the team listings since the beginning of the 2011 league are banned from playing."

Meanwhile eight people have been arrested in connection with the assault of Mr Vasa.