Offside News

Sports

FA denies Arsenal’s Gervinho appeal

Comment: 0 August 17th, 2011 by: admin

The Football Association has denied an appeal filed by Arsenal requesting for reconsideration of the three-match ban slapped on striker Gervinho.

According to a statement by the FA, the claim had been forwarded to the proper officials, who have decided that the ban will stand.

‘Arsenal subsequently lodged a claim that the standard punishment of three matches was clearly excessive,’ read the statement. ‘A commission heard the claim today and dismissed it, meaning the player must serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect.’

The ban was slapped on the striker during the second half of Saturday’s Arsenal-Newcastle United match, where Gervinho struck the Magpies’ Joey Barton after the midfielder accused him of diving in the penalty area.

Arsenal officials had stated that they planned to file an appeal arguing that a three-match ban was too excessive for what was a mere slap.
The match also resulted in a similar three-match ban for Gervinho’s teammate, midfielder Alex Song, after his stamp on Barton (missed by referee Peter Walton) was confirmed by video evidence.

The FA handed out charges on both clubs for what they described was a failure to control the players.

More