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Opio was among three individuals including Northern Gateway FC goalkeeper Oringa Franco and Calvary FC administrator Maganda Saleh who separately were slapped with five-year individual bans.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations’ (FUFA) Ethics department has issued a staggering 10-year ban on referee Opio Deogracious after he was found guilty of match-fixing.
Opio was among three individuals including Northern Gateway FC goalkeeper Oringa Franco and Calvary FC administrator Maganda Saleh who separately were slapped with five-year individual bans.
"The FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee has found referee Mr. Opio Deogracious guilty of violation of Articles 41 (Manipulation of football matches or competitions or match statistics), Article 24(3) (General Duties) and Article 42 (Failure to report) of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Code,” a statement read.
“The Committee analysed and evaluated the evidence on file and the defence put forward by Mr. Opio and found that he was involved in activities aimed at arranging or influencing the results of matches for betting purposes in violation of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Code.”
“Mr. Opio is hereby banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at the national level (administrative, sports or any other) for a period of ten (10) years, as of notification of this decision,” the statement continued.
Opio’s earlier suspension pending investigation had seen him left from the list of officials to handle the 2023/24 StarTimes Uganda Premier League fixtures.
He had presided over several high-profile controversial matches. In 2018, an SUPL game between SC Villa and Tooro FC left then SC Villa coach Wasswa Bbosa incensed over some of the decisions taken by Opio.
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“The referee seemed as though he had a mission to accomplish. This is very sad for the game that referees come with biased minds,” Bbosa was quoted by Kawowo FC following the game.
In November 2021, Police FC coach Abdallah Mubiru was suspended following comments about the nature of officiation in their game against Onduparaka in Arua.
Similar sentences were passed on Franco and Saleh: “Mr. Oringa Franco is hereby banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at the national level for a period of five (5) years, as of notification of this decision,” the statement communicated.
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“Mr. Maganda Saleh is hereby banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at the national level for a period of five (5) years, as of notification of this decision. Only the grounds of the decision can be appealed against,” the statement said.
FUFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Committee has been on a warpath against corruption in football. At the start of this month, FUFA handed referee George Nkurunziza a ten-year ban from all football activities after finding him guilty of fixing a match.
In addition to Nkurunziza, Gaddafi players Yaya Mahad Kakooza and Andrew Waiswa were also hit with a five-year ban each.
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