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Arsenal angry over UEFA’s inaction on Wenger case

Comment: 0 August 23rd, 2011 by: admin

Arsenal are displeased by UEFA’s apparent inaction regarding their opportunity to submit an appeal regarding manager Arsene Wenger’s sentence.

According to reports, as of Monday night the club was yet to receive documents from UEFA allowing them to appeal the current sanction, which is a two-match ban for the manager.

Successfully lodging a petition could delay Wenger’s suspension until the scheduled appeal date, and effectively allow him to participate and take his place in the sidelines during Arsenal’s determining UEFA Champions League qualifier against Udinese.

As of 7 pm Monday, club officials confirmed that they have yet to receive notification regarding their plans for an appeal.

The ban was the result of Wenger’s supposed failure to abide by the rules of a previous one-ban suspension, during which he was banned from communicating with the players from the sidelines.

During the following match Wenger was seen relaying messages to the players through first-team coach Boro Primorac – something that the club says Wenger was given permission to do so.

Confusion ensued during halftime when, despite the alleged go-ahead from UEFA, an official contacted Wenger warning him to stop delivering messages via Primorac.

Evidence showing that Primorac continued to relay Wenger’s messages during the second half led to the club being fined £8,743 for ‘improper conduct’ of their officials.

According to Arsenal, the rules regarding Wenger’s one-match suspension were unclear, and that they received mixed messages from the ruling body.

Currently, UEFA rules regarding a manager’s touchline suspension prohibits that manager from communicating with his players and staff, as well as enter the dressing room and the technical grounds.

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