Rugby player Aredo banned for 10 months for assaulting journalist

The Uganda Rugby Union (URU) has suspended Gabriel Aredo from all rugby activities for ten months effective September 29.

The development was confirmed in a statement issued on October 3, by URU secretary, Peter Odong.

Aredo’s suspension follows an incident on September 25, in which the Warriors RFC player assaulted New Vision photojournalist, Johnson Were during a Kyabazinga Sevens match at Bugembe Stadium.

In a video that made rounds on social media, Aredo appeared physically assaulting the journalist over unclear reasons.

Odong says that following the incident, the URU discplinary committee invited the two parties on September 28, to provide their independent accounts on the matter.

However, he noted that after reviewing the merits and statements from the two parties, the committee provided recommendations to the body’s executive members who found Aredo faulty and eventually handed him a 10-month ban.

”Mr Gabriel Aredo is suspended from Uganda Rugby Union sanctioned rugby activities for a period of 10 months effective September 29, 2022,” the statement by Odong partly reads.

URU further condemned Aredo’s actions and said that mitigation measures have been devised to avoid a repeat of such incidents in the game.

“Uganda Rugby Union is open to provide mediation platform to the parties in a bid to restore harmony and friendship” the statement further reads.