Bermuda Football Association (BFA) general secretary David Sabir yesterday reacted harshly to the latest incidence of player unruliness at a local soccer match.

Sabir was responding to questions regarding Dandy Town centre-back Troy Durham's punching of linesman Peter Sousa after being sent off during the Coca Cola First Division soccer game involving Dandy Town and Devonshire Colts.

However, while voicing general disgust, Sabir stated that it was not so much a football issue, but more a reflection of modern society.

"It's obvious that the BFA does not condone and is absolutely sickened by this incident, but this is not a Bermuda football issue alone, it is a societel problem,'' said Sabir, clearly agitated with the media's focussing on the incident.

"The BFA attempts to provide activity for the local fraternity of football players. If the end result of our efforts, which are deemed to be in the best interest of all concerned, we have to suffer the ills of society that have infiltrated its ugly face into our sport.

"So when incidents like this happen all of a sudden it becomes a focus for the BFA -- `What is the BFA's position?'.

"We are sick of it! We are disgusted with it! We wish that it never happened! But it's not an incident strictly as a result of the BFA's sport called football, it is not a BFA problem.

"Nowhere in the BFA's constitution, it's bylaws, its rules of playing, that players have the ability or right to slap an official. Nowhere does it say that the players have the right to be physically abusive to one another. That is what FIFA and every national association throughout the world is attempting to stamp out, but is it really something that the Bermuda Football Association has created through its sport? No!'' Sabir noted that it was a precious few who were on the verge of destroying the entire fabric of organised soccer, with their "otherworldly antics''.

Also brought up during an interview was the case of Winston (Bummy) Martin, who received a three year ban from all association soccer following his hitting of referee Gernott Wilkie during an Commercial Division fixture.

Sabir noted his disagreement with the leniency of Martin's sentence and hinted that Durham would likely receive much harsher treatment, especially with the added emphasis being placed on discipline by world governing body FIFA.

"We can only in hindsight make a decision, but we can't prevent it if the player himself has no respect for the game, the officials, for his team, for himself, for the fans, for the country, we can't legislate that.

"So when we get this problem, an event like this here, all of a sudden it is asked what position does the Bermuda Football Association take. We obviously have a position. And we obviously will deal with it. And I'm sure we will take the fullest measure of the law. As a matter of fact, as the general secretary of the Bermuda Football Association, I have consulted FIFA on the list of disciplinary measures so that certain people who do these things will be dealt with according to the highest court, which is FIFA.

"But sitting in this office I'm appalled. I'm appalled at the media attention that gets very specific as to what is the BFA's position... it's obvious that we have a position.'' Meanwhile, it was not clear what was the position of Dandy Town, with unconfirmed rumours of a 10 year suspension of Durham from the club still being considered.

Club officials would neither confirm nor deny these rumours, while attempts to contact Durham proved unsuccessful.

Sunday's incident was the second serious one at Frog Lane in less than a year, and once again it did not involve the home team, but rather players from the visiting team.

In January a nasty scene followed the final whistle of the FA Cup quarter-final match between Colts and Somerset Eagles when, having been sent off earlier, Kenny Basden, along with brother Anthony, were involved in a confrontation with linesman Richard Knight as the official was hit in the head by a ball as he left the field.

Ironically, Sousa was the second linesman that day while Jahmah Samuels was also the scorer of the Colts goal as they won the tie 1-0.

Lengthy suspensions were later handed out to the Basden brothers.

Troy Durham