CAF has cleared Rayon Sports of Rwanda of match fixing allegations during their Champions League return match away to Burundi’s Lydia Ludic Academic on 5th February 2018 in Bujumbura.
But the club has been fined $15,000 and four of its officials suspended “from performing all and any football activities for a period of two years’ for “violating” CAF’s disciplinary code and statutes.
The four are Rukundo Patrick, Mudaheranwa Shaffy, Nkusi Jean paul and Muhirwa Prosper.
Burundi official, Mpundu Eloge, was also handed a one year suspension from all football activities for his “involvement” with the Rwandan officials above.
Lydia Ludic reported Rayon for match fixing after the visitors’ official was found in the fourth official’s hotel room on the eve of the game the hosts narrowly lost 1-0.
More officials of the Rwandan champions were confronted by the hosts’ officials and were later arrested by police as they were heading towards the match officials rooms.
However, CAF’s three-man Disciplinary Committee that was tasked to probe the matter found out, after examining written submissions from all parties, that there was no “material evidence” of match fixing.
The Committee was led by South Africa’s Raymond Hack (Chairman), Yassin Osmake of Djibouti (Vice Chairman) and Burkina Faso’s Issa Sama (Member)
Rayon, who were knocked out of the Champions League by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, are therefore free to play Club Desportivo Costa Do Sol of Mozambique in the CAF Confederations Cup playoffs.
“That Rayon Sports would be allowed to progress in the Confederations Cup Competition CC 2018 in view of the fact that there was no material evidence relating to the direct involvement of the transgression by the above mentioned officials, as supported in their correspondence.
“However, it is noted that Rayon Sports conceded that their officials had violated the code and statutes of CAF, as well as the Spirit of the Game, but submitted that the said officials had not been mandated by the club in any manner whatsoever,” the Committee ruled.
Rayon Sports did not attend the hearings despite having confirmed in writing that they would; Lydia Ludic were on the other hand represented by their honorary president Aimable Habimana.
