soccer player Kacy Simons got even worse yesterday, with the player being slapped with a 12-year ban by Bermuda Football Association.

Simons, who had on Tuesday been arrested for allegedly assaulting referee Perry Scott during a Saturday afternoon match and was subsequently suspended by his home club North Village for five years on Wednesday, received the most crushing blow from the BFA's disciplinary committee -- a ban that in effect ends his career.

The suspension is one of the more lengthy to be issued by the committee in recent years, but fell short of the life suspensions handed to two other perpetrators of violence against match officials -- Troy Durham and Yul Wade.

It did, however, exceed the three year ban Winston Martin received for his attack on Gernot Wilkie.

Disciplinary committe chairman Clevelyn Critchlow refused to comment on any issue regarding Simons' suspension, including the length of the punishment, referring any inquiries to members of the BFA executive.

Association treasurer Delroy O'Brien expressed satisfaction regarding the decision made. However, in the wake of the furore that has followed the most recent incident, O'Brien was keen to point out that this had been "the straw that broke the camel's back''.

"The disciplinary committee is a very integral part of the BFA and we charged them out with a responsibility and I feel they carried it out (justly), and, basically, I'm satisfied with the outcome,'' said O'Brien.

"But there is more to this than that and we will be having meetings this weekend with the clubs, because it's more than just this incident that really concerns me about what's going on in football.

"The meeting today with the referees raised a lot of things that we all have a shared responsibility in, so based on that we're looking to work together towards a positive resolution.'' Meanwhile, Bermuda Referees Association president Lyndon Raynor noted how it had been his expectation that a life sentence be meted out based on prior precedent, but added that the BRA would not likely make any formal protest, unless an appeal was made by Simons for reduction.

"It's not as much as I thought it would be, judging by previous precedents,'' said Raynor, who has been most vociferous regarding the various maladies surrounding refereeing on the Island.

"However, when one considers his age, it is a lengthy sentence and I don't think he'll be back, so I guess you could say `yea'.

"Looking at his age, by the time he would be able to come back he would be gone 50, and I don't think he'll be coming back on the football field.

"Also, for the 12-year period he cannot participate in any BFA sponsored coaching courses or anything like that.

"The third thing is that I don't know if he's intending to appeal it, if so I will have further comments on that.'' Asked whether the efficiency shown by the BFA in taking action against the player would have any effect as regards the refs making a swift return to the middle, Raynor responded in the negative.

"No, because it was never tied to that,'' he said.