A former school sports star told the Cape Town high court on Tuesday that there are “always two sides to a story and his side was never allowed to be heard” after he was involved in a brawl with a boy from a rival school in 2018.
Bingo Ivanisevic, who attended Bishops College, was red-carded during a water polo match in February 2018 after punching rival player Ross Stone, dislodging several of his teeth, one of which had to be retrieved from the bottom of the pool while another was pushed into his gums. He also sustained a cracked bone in the mouth.
Stone, who played for Bishops’ neighbour and arch-rival, Rondebosch Boys’ High, is claiming R645,000 damages from Bishops and Ivanisevic.
During cross-examination, the court heard that Ivanisevic received a letter to attend a disciplinary hearing for “unsportsmanlike conduct” from the deputy head of sport, Warren Wallace.
After the hearing, the disciplinary committee heard that the defendant was remorseful for what he had done and had been caught up in the tension of the match. The committee also noted that Ivanisevic had a history with Rondebosch as he was a pupil and was “severely provoked by the victim”.
The court heard he had wanted to call Stone the day following the incident but was prevented by his mother, Roxaan Ivanisevic.
This reaction comes from the adrenaline pumping in my veins and the fact that I was drowning ... I’ve been punished by Bishops with the seven-match ban, two-fold by Western Province Schools Water Polo and the Rondebosch media.
— Bingo Ivanisevic
Ivanisevic said he could not recall what had been said during the hearing, despite the outcome letter stating he acknowledged punching Stone, but explained his actions after six years saying that the “adrenaline was pumping through his veins”.
He said he was remorseful for the injuries that Stone sustained. He received a two-match ban for brutality and a five-match ban for the gravity of the offence. He was excluded from playing water polo for Bishops.
Ivanisevic stated in his testimony after a 5m penalty was awarded to Rondebosch, the game had ended when Stone allegedly assaulted him underwater.
“My injuries included bruising in the rib area of my chest where Ross had punched me, a cut inside my lip from a punch inflicted on me by Ross, and tenderness in my genitalia which Ross had repeatedly grabbed and squeezed underwater,” Ivanisevic said in court documents.
Advocate Paul Eia, for Stone, questioned whether he had mentioned this in the hearing. Ivanisevic said no, adding he was instructed not to say anything.
Pia submitted that the alleged assault was not in a report given by the head of water polo Fiona Mallet, who attended the match and subsequently apologised to Stone’s family. This was also not in the referees' reports, but criticised Ivanisevic's claim that he had not told anyone because after the game Stone’s father, Murray, had told him “he would see him in court”.
Pia said Ivanisevic’s version of events lacked credibility. He said Stone’s evidence that he was marked by the defendant during the last few minutes of the fourth chukka (period of play) was not challenged by his attorney Willem van Heerden. He further said Ivanisevic had attacked Stone because he had stopped the flow of his goals, which made him frustrated, particularly after he had received instruction from his coach to mark him.
Ivanisevic made a statement after his cross-examination that after the incident he was assaulted and bullied by members, staff, players and community members of Rondebosch and this had been the only time he had reacted out of self-defence in all the time he was bullied.
“This reaction comes from the adrenaline pumping in my veins and the fact that I was drowning ... I’ve been punished by Bishops with the seven-match ban, two-fold by Western Province Schools Water Polo and the Rondebosch media,” said Ivanisevic.
“I had to defend myself in civil and criminal court. There is always two sides to a story and my side of the story was never allowed to be heard.”
The case continues on Wednesday.
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