Lifetime ban for punch

A French rugby league player who knocked a referee unconscious in April has been banned for life. The French Federation handed out the suspension to St Esteve player Hedi Ouedjdi for punching referee Benjamin Casty, brother of France international and Catalans Dragons captain Remi Casty. Ouedjdi floored Casty with one punch after being sent off in a cup semifinal against Toulouse last month. Video footage then showed him swinging punches at opposition players who confronted him about the incident.