National Premier League Football   |18 November 2023

La Passe goalkeeper Esther gets two-year ban for assaulting referee

• Club fined R5,000

La Passe FC goalkeeper Basil Esther has been suspended for two years from football for assaulting central referee, James Emile, during his team’s Premier League clash against Foresters at the Amitié Stadium on Praslin last Saturday.

The suspension was announced by the disciplinary committee, a Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) judicial body, following a meeting on Thursday afternoon.

The suspension takes effect immediately.

The disciplinary committee has also imposed a R5,000 fine on La Passe FC for failing to ensure the protection of the referee from one of its members during the match.

The incident happened in the 37th minute of the La Passe/Foresters clash on Saturday November 11 after Esther had received a red card for a second bookable offence for using abusive language. He had received a first three minutes earlier.

He then proceeded to assault the referee and the incident, which was broadcast nationwide in sports programmes on national television and on social media, became the talk of the town.

It was also used by some referees as one of the reasons for protest, asking for better security for them at matches.

The full report of the disciplinary committee will be distributed to all concerned next week.

Press release from the Seychelles Football Federation