Kimanzi slapped with two-match touchline ban for ‘unsporting behaviour’
Harambee Stars coach Francis Kimanzi has been accused of vandalizing the KCCA Stadium dressing room during Kenya’s 1-0 win over Tanzania at the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup on Sunday in Kampala.
Cecafa’s organizing committee has also found Kimanzi guilty of chasing the fourth official from the dressing room and locking his players inside, in a move that delayed this game’s kick-off by about 10 minutes.
Consequently, the coach has been slapped with a two-match touchline suspension by the Cecafa’s local organising committee.
“He (Kimanzi) should not appear anywhere in the stadium while serving punishment,” Cecafa’s decision, which is addressed to Kenya’s Chef de Mission in Kampala, reads in part.
“The rest of the team officials are also warned against such unsporting behaviour that sets bad examples to the players and painted a bad example to other participants,” Cecafa further said.
Nairobi News understands trouble started after Kimanzi protested the tournament organiser’s decision to allow three Tanzania players to take to the pitch without passports.
Kimanzi will therefore miss Tuesday’s Group ‘B’ match against Sudan and Saturday’s match against Zanzibar at the StarTimes Stadium in Kampala.
In Kimanzi’s absence, assistant coach Zedekiah Otieno, who has also been warned of his conduct in relation to the incident, will take charge of the team.