Eagles banned

Hagen Eagles trainer Stanley Akinu has been banned for life by the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League board.
His players Francis Ray and Junior Rau (captain) were given 10 years each and the club three years.
Akinu is also facing a possible manslaughter charge related to the death of Joe Pidik, who died five days after being hit by a brick when Eagles fans attacked the vehicle he was in, near the Sir John Guise Stadium.
The Eagles lost their Digicel preliminary final (19-12) to the Agmark Gurias on Saturday, Aug 27, and Akinu chased and struck referee Aaron Henry several times, as well as inter-change official Paul Wani, after the game, causing fans to storm the field and attack match officials,  Gurias players and their fans.
Akinu and Rau were arrested and charged for assault and  in the trainer’s case, he was also charged with inciting the crowd through his actions. That charged has police considering a manslaughter charge against Akinu.
In Lae, Supreme Court judge Justice Martin Ipang refused an appeal by a fan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing a fellow fan to death after a brawl during a soccer match in Madang over three years ago.
Ipang told Tun Mai Isaac that violence in sports tournaments and competitions were getting out of hand all over the country and the court had a role to ensure it was addressed (see page 9).
Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko, in a brief media conference yesterday, supported the penalties imposed by the PNGNRL on the Eagles franchise and three men, condemning their actions and the violence it instigated.
The Eagles’ three-year suspension is effective from this month and ends in September 2019.
The Western Highlands franchise will not be allowed to operate and have any dealings in the Digicel Cup or other PNGNRL-related competitions during this time.
The Eagles third-place prizemoney of K20,000 was forfeited to pay for damages to the venue during post-match violence at the SJGS.
Akinu’s life ban covers his involvement with any franchise in the PNGNRL, as well as not being allowed within 50m of any Digicel Cup game or event.
Ray and Rau’s 10-year bans stipulate that the pair not be involved as players or officials in any PNGNRL-sanctioned competition during the period and both cannot be within 50m of a PNGNRL event.
The ban has ended veteran Ray’s playing days while Rau, a PNG Prime Minister’s XIII representative, will be in his mid-30s when he is eligible to return to the competition.
The team on the receiving end did not escape censure as well, with four Gurias players — Francis Paniu, Solomon Hamari, Lukas Kapinius and Adrian Boungas — fined K5000 each and given five-match suspensions next season for retaliating when they were attacked.
The Eagles franchise, including all players sanctioned by the PNGNRL, have 14 days to appeal their bans and fines.
PNGNRL chief executive officer Stanley Hondina, pictured, on behalf board chairman Sudhir Guru, said the administration was determined to set a high standard, especially in dealing with violence in the sport.
“We are trying to set the precedent here and this is a warning to all franchises,” Hondina said.
He said during the meeting, the board reviewed the TVWan footage of the game, including Akinu’s assault of the match officials and the invasion of the pitch by Eagles fans.
He said after detailed deliberations based on the judiciary recommendations and consultation of the competition rules and regulations, as well as assessing the situation and circumstances present, the board agreed on the penalties to be handed down.
“The PNGNRL board used the official TVWan footage and match observer reports to come up with these decisions. The footage has also been passed onto police for their investigations.”