League: Fan hit with 50-year ban

An angry fan who knocked out a linesman at a junior league match in Sydney has been banned for 50 years from having involvement with the sport.

Pita Tupou, a 20-year-old factory worker, punched the linesman whom he had mistaken for the referee after an under-16 match between the Leichhardt Wanderers and Strathfield Raiders in Sydney on May 9.

Tupou appeared at the Burwood Local Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He will be sentenced on August 12.

The New South Wales Rugby League banned Tupou from having any involvement with the sport until 2060.

The ban prevents Tupou from playing league or performing any role such as coaching, training or managing a team.