ACCRA Four players have been banned for a year from all continental club competition after threatening attacks on referees in African club competition matches.

Two of the players -- Bertand Moucaye and Herman Trules -- come from St. Louisienne on the French-controlled island of Reunion. They were found to have verbally threatened the referee during the club's defeat in African Cup Winners' Cup semifinal match against Zamalek of Egypt in October.

Also banned were Khaled Shebli of Libyan club Al Ittihad for a similar attack during the Cup Winners' Cup semifinal against Canon Yaounde of Cameroon and Cesar da Costa from Senegalese club Jeanne d'Arc in Senegal.

The Confederation of African Football also imposed a fine of $10,000 on the Algerian Football Federation for a lack of security during the CAF Cup final in Algiers earlier this month.

Fans invaded the pitch at the end of the second leg, which saw home team JS Kabylie edge out Ismailia of Egypt on the away goals rule. Egyptian players were harassed and some of the players' kit stolen.

Ismailia were fined $5 000 after their players refused to go up and collect their runners-up medals.

(Reuter)