Hockey players Akuwa, Miheso fight opponent
On The Spot. Eugene Miheso (shirt 17) and Derrick Akuwa (shirt 5) beat up Kampala Hockey Club’s Okodi (below left) after the Easter Cup final on Sunday. Photo by Makhtum Muziransa
KAMPALA.
Innocent Mbabali scored twice in the first half as Wananchi beat Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Stallions 2-1 to win the Easter Cup on Sunday.
Wananchi Ladies had earlier won by the same score against Weatherhead but the day’s success seemed not a plausible show of might for midfielder Derrick Akuwa and team manager Eugene Swinnerstone Miheso. The two showed lack of emotional intelligence by beating up student and Stallions’ defender Brian Okodi after the final whistle of the men’s final.
Okodi’s nightmare started when his carelessly swung hockey stick found the feet of his former schoolmate and Wananchi’s Emmanuel Baguma at the beginning of the second half as KHC unsuccessfully chased the 2-1 score.
As Baguma reeled in pain, Miheso – also an umpire – broke the rules by jumping on pitch to hold Okodi by the neck while demanding action from umpires Kenneth Tamale and Michael Nashimolo.
The umpires duly punished Okodi with a 10 minute suspension while Miheso was sent to the stands for leaving his technical area.
At the end of the game, Akuwa – who had been away all-weekend only to show up in time for the second half of the final – was hungry to prove a point to perhaps make up for his negligible contribution to Wananchi’s triumph.
When KHC players jumped in to rescue their teammate from Akuwa, Miheso pounced on Okodi ‘sneck again before he was pushed away by KHC’s Faustine Ojangole.
Umpire Nashimolo then summoned Okodi and Akuwa, apparently to issue them with red cards, but the latter used the opportunity to poke the former’s head with a hockey stick.
The umpire recorded that the two had “engaged in a fight at the end of the game and should be charged with indiscipline.”
KHC coach Bernard Bwire, who had his shirt torn by Wananchi captain Innocent Mbabali as the two shoved unpleasantly, reported an assault case (SD: 21/16/04/17) against an apologetic Akuwa at Jinja Road Police Station.
Uganda Hockey Association chairperson Lydia Dhamuzungu condemned the actions and promised they will take action.
