SUSPENDED National Olympic Committee (NOC) board member, Chenda Chilufya has accepted his two-year ban from all sports activities in Zambia and is now ready to move on in life.

In the wake of his suspension slapped by the Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) and upheld by NOC at the weekend, Chilufya said in life, it was important to accept such decisions and move on.

Chilufya said in an interview that his conscience was clear and that he was a free man, adding that he was a sportsman from childhood and would remain so for the rest of his life.

"I'm a sportsman through and through. In life, you have to accept and move on. My conscience is clear, I'm a free man," he said.

On the reasons for his suspension, Chilufya said the case raised against him by the Zambia Taekwondo Federation (ZTF) had been dragging on for the last two years.

ZTF had raised a complaint against Chilufya, whom they expelled as president about two years ago, with SCZ.

When announcing the ban at the weekend, NOC secretary general, Hazel Kennedy said ZTF had problems with its former president Chilufya and felt he should not continue representing them on the NOC board.

Kennedy said ZTF took up the matter with SCZ who presided over it and recommended Chilufya's ban to NOC.

She said SCZ signed the two-year suspension letter last Friday night and the NOC board obliged to uphold the decision on Saturday during its meeting at Mukuba Hotel in Ndola.

"The Taekwondo Federation had problems with their outgoing president, Chenda Chilufya. They didn't feel he should continue representing them on the NOC board and took the matter to SCZ.

"As NOC we could not do anything until we get the findings of SCZ. So NOC upheld SCZ's decision to ban him for two years," she said.

In December 2010, ZTF had expelled Chilufya for allegedly mismanaging the affairs of the organisation.

Chilufya, who was serving his third term as NOC board member, was initially suspended by ZTF before finally being expelled.