Rugby league player given lifetime ban for punching referee
The referee is the brother of Super League star Remi Casty
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Your support makes all the difference.The rugby league player who knocked out a referee in April has been banned for life.
St Esteve player Hedi Ouedjdik left referee Benjamin Casty, brother of Catalan Dragons star Remi Casty, knocked unconscious with a broken cheekbone and jaw injuries in April.
The French Federation handed the lifetime suspension out and Ouedjdi could also face a criminal charge, with Casty bringing a civil complaint against him.
“The player not only undermined the physical integrity of a referee, Benjamin Casty, but also tainted the image of a sport that had not experienced such a reprehensible act,” said a spokesman for the French Federation.
“FFR XIII is determined not to grant any forgiveness to players, leaders or supporters who do not respect the decisions of a referee, whose difficult role is measured every weekend.”
The incident occurred when Ouedjdi was sent to the sin-bin during a juniors French Cup match against Toulouse.
The player responded by angrily confronting the referee, before launching a right hook at his face that knocked him unconscious. When opposition players asked him what he was doing, the player then started swinging punches at them, leading to a melee between the two sides.
One Toulouse player can be seen to tend to the referee, before running off to join the brawl, while one of the assistant referees soon comes to Casty’s aid.
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