Amavubi were docked three points after fielding Kevin Umuhire (no.11) against Benin yet he had 2 yellow cards.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw, meaning that Rwanda lost the point it had earned in its quest to qualify for the continental tournament to be hosted by Ivory Coast.
“The Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) apologizes to all Rwandans for the negligence in the preparations of the national senior football team – Amavubi, which led to Rwanda being docked three points for fielding an ineligible player for the game Amavubi played against Benin in Kigali,”
“In this regard, Mr. Rutaysire Jackson, who was in charge of management and preparation of the national team, was suspended from his duties. We are continuing to pursue anyone else who may have been involved in the preparation of the team to hold them accountable,” the federation said.
FERWAFA said measures have been taken to ensure that such an embarrassing incident doesn’t happen again. The CAF sanction inevitably ended Rwanda’s efforts to qualify for AFCON 2023.
Benin, which lodged the complaint against Rwanda for fielding midfielder Kevin Muhire yet he had two yellow cards, now sits second in the group behind Senegal ahead of the remaining two group games.
Muhire got a yellow card in the game against Senegal on June 07, 2023 and another one in Cotonou against Benin on March 22, 2023 before playing in the return leg in Kigali a week later.
After the 1-all draw, in Kigali, the Benin national team, Gernot Rohr at a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda on March 29, said that Benin would lodge a complaint with CAF.
On May 16, 2023, Benin won the case after CAF Disciplinary Panel faulted Rwanda. Rwanda sits bottom of the group with two points behind Mozambique in third, Benin in second while defending champions Senegal sit top of the Group L. The next qualifiers are scheduled for June.
