Players involved in last weekend's soccer violence are set to receive lengthy bans, if the Bermuda Football Association backs its words with action.

The BFA's disciplinary committee will meet next Thursday to decide what punishment to mete out to the six miscreants sent off in two matches.

And the signals given out by a wordy statement issued by the BFA yesterday suggest that life bans could be slapped on the worst offenders.

"We must all recognise and understand that unless we rid our sport of those that refuse to abide by the rules, then we will be totally responsible for the demise of our sport because of our failure to act,'' said the statement from BFA president Neville Tyrell.

"And we must commit ourselves to act without compromise. For the rules are clear. There is no place for violent behaviour in this sport.'' Vasco's Dwight Basden needed hospital treatement after being on the receiving end of last Sunday's most serious incident. Basden, after first being punched by Devonshire Cougars' Wendell Swan was then kicked in the head while grounded by Ryan Swan.

BFA spokesman David Sabir said he had met with representatives of both Vasco and Devonshire Rec. yesterday.

"Vasco were intensely upset about what transpired on Sunday and they are taking a hard line against their players involved,'' said Sabir.

He added that Devonshire Rec. officials would meet today to discuss what action the club would take against their misbehaving players.

Basden's first comments on the matter imply that the incident which left him with bruising to the neck and head will not go to court.

Asked if he would press charges, Basden said: "I mean I should but it would be ruining the sport. If we do, it would be messing up the sport in general.'' But the Bermuda international striker did want to see harsh action taken against the Swan brothers who attacked him.

"They should be banned indefinitely. If it was Dwight Basden involved in an incident like that I would have been looking at five years plus,'' he said.

Ryan Swan said of the incident: "To say that I hit him more than once, that's definitely not true. The incident became heated. It was a heat of the moment thing.

"I don't feel good about it as I know Dwight from High School. It was just brotherly protection.'' Cougars' Galvin Butterfield was also dismissed on Sunday, as were Chris Caisey and Leon Raynor, of Hamilton Parish, and Keemo Smith, of Wolves.

The BFA has this season already banned Ian DeSilva of Young Men's Social Club for five years, for punching referee Oral Swan.

But the last time a First Division player was banned for life was in November, 1994, when Troy Durham, of Dandy Town, received the punishment for punching a linesman.

On that occasion, the player was banned by his club for ten years before the matter came up for discussion by the BFA disciplinary committee.

Second Division player Yul Wade, of BAA, also received a life ban two years ago after allegedly striking a referee.

Yesterday's BFA statement argued that violence was a community problem and that football was a mirror image of society.

It appealed for those who had benefited from the game in the past to contribute to its future.

And it spelt out plans for a series of meetings between the BFA and all the Island's soccer clubs to thrash out solutions to the growing problem of violence.

Sabir speculated that the generally poor standard of soccer facilities on the Island was a contributory factor in the spread of indiscipline.

"We must look at the role the state of our facilities plays in creating discontent among players and spectators,'' said Sabir.

"When they come to facilities that don't look good, it can have an influence on their minds and change the emotional climate.

"I mean, you're less likely to see fighting at the Southampton Princess than at a nightclub.

"If we have taken time out to improve our football grounds, people may take time out to show respect.'' Upgrading of facilities would be possible if clubs showed the initiative and businesses gave their backing, not necessarily in the form of cash, but the loan of equipment and the provision of low-cost services, he added.

Bermudians caught up in soccer thuggery here and abroad