ANGOLA'S Benfica de Luanda has been disqualified from the African Confederation Cup for fielding a player who should not have been playing. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had examined a complaint filed by the Cameroon Football Association protesting the eligibility of Benfica player Bandu Mbungu Mputu in the match between Benfica de Luanda and Astres de Douala. Using TV footage of the game, it appears that Mputu had been sent off during a game between Benfica and Motema Pembe which was played on 16 March. Consequently, Mputu was not eligible to play the next game against Astres de Douala on 7 April in Luanda. Article 29 of CAF regulations stipulates that any club fielding a non-eligible player is disqualified from the competition in which it is involved. Other sanctions are expected to be taken by CAF disciplinary body. Barthelemi Ngana, who was the referee of the encounter, has been suspended provisionally until a CAF referee committee meets. CAF's disciplinary board, headed by Raymond Hack of South Africa, met in Cairo recently to examine other incidents which have occurred during CAF matches. APR Rwanda was suspended for three years from participating in CAF inter- club competitions and fined $10,000 for fraud during a first-leg Champions League game in Kigali against Maranatha de Fiokhpo of Togo and for having abandoned their game in the second leg in Togo before the stipulated time. APR Rwanda player Sadou Boubakary was suspended for one year following a physical assault on the referee. Teammates Gasebuka Alua and Mafisango Tabuete were also handed six months suspensions for using abusive language towards the referee. Ben Mandela was suspended for two games after having refused to go back on the field of play to continue the game. APR was fined $5,000 for improper conduct.
