Rwanda champions Rayon Sports have confirmed suspending coach Ivan Minnaert and his two assistants, Lomami Marcel and Jeanot Witakenge.
The decision was taken Monday following an emergency meeting of the club’s management.
Goalkeeping coach Ramathan Nkuningoma and technical director Corneille Hategekimana will take charge of the team in the meantime, according to a club’s statement.
The management did not explain their action but according sources the team’s poor domestic form could have prompted the move.
Rayon, who qualified for the group stage of the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup for the first time under Minnaert, are winless in their last two league matches.
The team is currently third in the Rwandan Premier League standings on 45 points after 25 games – six points off leaders AS Kigali and one behind arch rivals APR, who have played a match less.
Minnaert, who joined the team in February 2018 from South Africa’s second division side Black Leopards, is also believed to have lost the dressing room.
On Saturday the club banned their captain and goalkeeper Ndayishimiye Jean Luc Bakame for alleged sabotage and match fixing.
Bakame was secretly recorded in a telephone conversation admitting that he feigned an injury to avoid travelling for a league match on Friday last week away to Musanze in Northern Province. The match ended in a barren draw.
Previously he had conceded two goals in the team’s 2-1 loss to Amagaju at Kigali Stadium, a loss he blamed on Minnaert’s refusal to use “Juju”, black magic.
The Belgian had to be escorted to safety under heavy security after the game as fans bayed for his blood.
