CAF bans referee for dramatic officiating at Nations Cup

CAF banned Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn for six months and fined him 50,000 dollars Tuesday due to his controversial Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal officiating in Equatorial Guinea.

The host nation equalized the score off a dubiously awarded stoppage-time penalty and went on to a shock 2-1 win over Tunisia last Saturday in Bata.

When the final whistle sounded, riot police had to protect the match officials from furious Tunisian players.

According to an African Football Confederation (CAF) statement, host nation Equatorial Guinea was fined 5,000 dollars for a pitch invasion and warned to tighten security at match venues ahead of the semifinals.

The CAF referees committee "regretted" the poor performance of Seechurn in the quarterfinal.

The Mauritian has been sent home from Equatorial Guinea and dropped from the CAF elite referees panel.

The CAF disciplinary board fined Tunisia 50,000 dollars for "insolent, aggressive and unacceptable behavior of the players and officials of the Tunisian team" during the match.

Tunisia will also pay the cost of the damages caused at the Estadio de Bata.

CAF has also ordered Tunisia to send a letter of apology, or provide evidence of the unfairness of CAF and their officials, before midnight Thursday.

Failure to do so will lead to additional sanctions against Tunisia, including a possible ban from the 2017 Cup of Nations qualifying competition.

For the semifinals, Cote d'Ivoire faces the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first in Bata Wednesday and 24 hours later Equatorial Guinea meet Ghana in Malabo. Endi