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The coaches who ordered a player to deliver a late hit to a quarterback in Japan's Kanto Collegiate Football Association have been banned from the sport for life. The KCFA announced Tuesday that Nihon University coach Masato Uchida and assistant Tsutomu Inoue have been banned for life for their role in the incident and that another assistant, Taku Mori, was "disqualified" from his position.

"We gave the harshest punishment to the coaches because we decided they forced the player to make the illegal tackle," said Keiji Morimoto, chairman of the KCFA discipline committee. "We had the hearings from about 20 people, including players and coaches from both schools, officials, and witnesses of the game. We also obtained videos and voices to investigate."

The late hit took place in a game between Nihon University and Kwansei Gakuin University. Nihon's Taisuke Miyagawa hit Kwansei Gakuin QB Kosei Okuno well after he'd already thrown the ball, causing Okuno to be hospitalized with injuries to his knee and spine.

Miyagawa said he was told by coaches to deliver the late hit.

Miyagawa and the entire Nihon team were given conditional suspensions for the 2018 season. Miyagawa announced at a press conference following his suspension that he was retiring from the sport.