A Canberra rugby union player accused of wiping blood on a referee and king-hitting an opponent has been banned from playing the sport for more than 50 games.
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The decision was passed down by the ACT rugby judiciary on Wednesday night, banning the player for eight weeks for the punch and 48 weeks for the blood incident.
''So, all up it would take four years for him to come back, if he wanted to play after that,'' Wests coach Craig Robberds said.
Queanbeyan police said no charges had been laid against the player as yet, with officers still wading through witness statements.
The bizarre incident took place on Saturday during a Wests vs Queanbeyan fourth-grade match in Queanbeyan, which could have spelt the end of the player's career.
The unnamed player was reported to have leant in and wiped blood on the match referee, ACT Rugby Referees Association president Robert Boyes, after he was issued a yellow card.
The player was then issued a red card and as he was leaving the field, he allegedly punched unsuspecting Queanbeyan Whites player Adam Res.
The possible sentences from the ACT rugby judiciary could have varied from a relatively light 24 weeks up to a complete life ban.
Mr Boyes said on Monday he hoped officials would take a stand for the sake of referees, adding that the incident could deter young referees from joining rugby ranks.
''Treat referees with respect. We don't get paid for this job, we do it because we love the game and want to be part of it, just like the players do,'' he said.
