Veteran soccer player Winston (Bummy) Martin has been slapped with a three-year ban from the game for assaulting referee Gernot Wilkie.

The suspension was recently handed down to the 41-year-old Devonshire Lions player after he was found guilty of the offence which occurred during a Commercial League fixture against Park United at Shelly Bay on October 8. The game was abandoned after 35 minutes.

However, it is understood that many BFA officials and members of the Bermuda Football Referees' Association are angry at the "leniency'' shown by the Disciplinary Committee, headed by chairman Cleveland Critchlow.

When contacted last night, BFA president Richard Thompson refused to comment because Martin's club had not been advised by letter about the disciplinary action.

However, Aldwyn Savery, acting Director of Referees, said he was aware of the suspension and frustrated over what he believed to be a light sentence.

"Of course there has been nothing official released as yet, but if the three-year ban is true then I strongly believe that it is definitely sending out the wrong message,'' said Savery.

He said he was concerned that steps taken by FIFA to reduce the ignorance and violence that had plagued the sport over the years would be disregarded if sufficient punishment wasn't meted out to those players who were found guilty of committing severe offences.

"What FIFA set out to do is to try to remove violence from the field and here we are having a player, without any provocation, striking a referee because the official is sending him off the field,'' said Savery.

"It makes a mockery of everything that the BFA has been trying to do and if it continues we will lose a lot of referees. The referees don't want to take civil action because they realise on their account it is going to be expensive, and they also feel that it's not within the spirit of the game.'' It's likely the BFRA will not let the matter rest and will file an immediate appeal.

Savery recalled that a similar appeal was forwarded by the BFRA in the early '80s after a Boulevard player struck referee Rex Osborne and was given a sentence that was regarded as being too light.

"I am quite certain that the BFRA will appeal again this time, and I strongly believe that they have every right to do so,'' insisted Savery.

On another disciplinary note, The Royal Gazette understands that all didn't go well in Germany during the recent tour by the Bermuda national Under-23 squad.

Reports reaching the Gazette suggested that two players -- captain Meshach Wade and Steval Arorash -- were confined to their rooms for various periods.

Wade reportedly cursed Technical Director of Coaching Burkhard Ziese and Arorash was alleged to have shown disrespect.

When asked to comment on the reports about the two players coach Mark Trott said: "Meshach was disciplined for an indiscretion and that's all I will say.

Burkhard has nothing to do with the discipline of the team. I take that role personally and deal with any and all matters of discipline and the running of the team.'' Wade captained the Bermuda senior national team during the World Cup campaign but was quietly relieved of the captaincy of the Under-23 squad in Germany.

BFA president Thompson said that he could not comment on any disciplinary action that may have taken place in Germany until a report had been handed in by those responsible.

Aldwyn Savery