FA disciplinary hearing

[Salem6]

OUTCOME OF THE FA DISCIPLINARY HEARING RELATING TO INCIDENTS DURING THE MATCH AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED

At a Disciplinary Commission hearing today, the Club has been reprimanded, warned to its future conduct and fined £175,000 for failing to ensure the proper behaviour of their players.

Ashley Cole has been reprimanded, warned to his future conduct and fined £10,000 for improper conduct relating to his involvement in a confrontation with Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle.

Patrick Vieira has received a one-match suspension and a £20,000 fine for improper conduct in failing to leave the field of play following his sending-off.

Ray Parlour has received a one-match suspension and a £10,000 fine for his improper conduct in separate confrontations with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gary Neville after the final whistle.

Martin Keown has received a 3-match suspension and £20,000 fine for violent behaviour in his actions towards Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Lauren has received a total of a four-match suspension and a £40,000 fine for violent behaviour in forcibly pushing van Nistelrooy in the back following the final whistle, and for improper conduct in confronting van Nistelrooy after Patrick Vieira's sending-off and kicking out at Quinton Fortune following the penalty award.

The Commission ruled that all suspensions should be served with effect from Monday 17th November.

CLUB RESPONSE

Following today's FA hearing, the Club would once again like to apologise for the conduct of its players during the FA Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford played on 21st September 2003.

Arsenal requires its players to behave properly at all times, both on and off the field. The Club accepts that what occurred during and immediately after the match on 21st September 2003 fell well below the required standard. The Club accepts responsibility for the behaviour of its players.

Arsène Wenger strives to ensure that his players do not cross the line which divides committed play from improper or violent conduct. The players are instructed not to allow themselves to be provoked and are reminded that their triumphs have come when they have not allowed themselves to be distracted from the game.

The players also accept responsibility for their own actions and Martin Keown, Lauren, Patrick Vieira, Ray Parlour and Ashley Cole would like to use this opportunity to apologise for their conduct.

As far as the penalties are concerned, the Club is currently considering its position.

[Salem6]

At a Disciplinary Commission hearing today, Arsenal FC have been reprimanded, warned to their future conduct and fined £175,000 for failing to ensure the proper behaviour of their players...





Ashley Cole has been reprimanded, warned to his future conduct and fined £10,000 for improper conduct relating to his involvement in a confrontation with Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle.

Patrick Vieira has received a one-match suspension and a £20,000 fine for improper conduct in failing to leave the field of play following his sending-off.

Ray Parlour has received a one-match suspension and a £10,000 fine for his improper conduct in separate confrontations with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gary Neville after the final whistle.



Martin Keown has received a 3-match suspension and £20,000 fine for violent behaviour in his actions towards Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Lauren has received a total of a four-match suspension and a £40,000 fine for violent behaviour in forcibly pushing van Nistelrooy in the back following the final whistle, and for improper conduct in confronting van Nistelrooy after Patrick Vieira's sending-off and kicking out at Quinton Fortune following the penalty award.

The Commission ruled that all suspensions should be served with effect from Monday, 17th November.

Arsenal FC and the players all admitted the charges, which related to incidents during the match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday 21st September.

All parties now have 14 days in which to appeal.



A run-down of all the charges[/U]





Arsenal FC admitted the charge of failing to ensure the proper behaviour of their players. This constitutes a breach of FA Rule E21(a).



Ashley Cole admitted the charge of improper conduct (breach of FA Rule E1) for his involvement in a confrontation with Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle.



Patrick Vieira admitted the charge of improper conduct for failing to leave the field of play following his sending-off.



Ray Parlour admitted two charges of improper conduct for separate confrontations with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gary Neville after the final whistle.



The charges of improper conduct and violent behaviour brought against Martin Keown for his actions towards van Nistelrooy will be considered together as one charge of violent behaviour (breach of FA Rule E2), which Keown has admitted.



Lauren has admitted a charge of violent behaviour, for forcibly pushing van Nistelrooy in the back following the final whistle. He has also admitted two charges of improper conduct, for confronting van Nistelrooy after Patrick Vieira's sending-off, and for kicking out at Quinton Fortune following the penalty award. Another charge of improper conduct, relating to his actions towards Ryan Giggs after the final whistle, has been withdrawn following consideration of submissions provided.

[Salem6]

The Football Association has suspended four Arsenal players and handed out fines totalling £275,000 in one of English club football's biggest disciplinary crackdowns.



The penalties were imposed for Arsenal's role in the ugly scenes which followed the London club's 0-0 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 21 September.

BBC Sport's news correspondent Nigel Adderley examines the ramifications of the FA's tough stance.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What precedent does it set?
A: It's a record fine for an individual club and we've not had mass suspensions like this before.

So it shows the FA are determined to clamp down on ill-discipline and Arsenal are among the first to suffer.

Q: What message does it send out to football?

A: It says that troublemakers must expect to face the consequences, but a points deduction might have been a more telling punishment.

Q: The FA seem to be making a strong statement, so should Rio Ferdinand brace himself for a hefty ban after failing to attend a drugs test?

A: The general beefing up of the disciplinary process does include doping but the Ferdinand case is very different.

All the evidence the FA needed in the Arsenal case was broadcast live on television and they pleaded guilty at the outset.

Ferdinand's team are determined to fight the charge and the FA may find it far harder to prove that the player missed his drugs test for any other reason than forgetfulness.

Q: Is there any point in Arsenal appealing?

A: Having pleaded guilty in the first place, probably not.

The bans don't start until after the Tottenham derby on 8 November, and at the moment the games the players will miss are mainly against teams in the bottom half of the table.

If they appeal, the bans will be delayed and could then cover bigger games if they aren't successful.

Q: What punishment can Man Utd's Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo expect for their part in the scenes at Old Trafford?

At least a heavy fine and possibly a short ban as well. Anything less might be seen as double standards, not least by Arsenal.

Q: Do you think clubs will be unhappy with the hard-line stance the FA appear to be taking?

Arsenal's upcoming opponents might appreciate the absense of Vieira and Co, but generally they now know if their players step out of line, the FA will hit them hard.

[tone]

I think we have got off lightly with the suspensions. The games the players miss aint that bad. Imagine if it was games against Manure and Chelski etc..

Watched You're on Sky Sports last night with Steve Claridge and he thought the bans were harsh and was on our side. He said as a former pro he would much rather see nasty tackles by players getting 4 or 5 match bans

He seems quite sensible as it goes whenever i have seen him on that programme

[Salem6]

I fink in the current climate of the FA wanting 2 clamp down etc, we can feel the bans are acceptable.
Yeh, I'd rather see players punished for crippling tackles rather than handbags, but az I sed the FA r clamping down & az usual it'z AFC dat leads the way (az in everyfing else )

AFC should NOT appeal, they should take it on the chin & move onwards & upwards.

So long az Rio gets a hefty fine AND ban to prove that NO ONE iz above the law/rules.

[Dazkool (Harrow Gooner)]

Hear hear! Well said guys. Don't c ne point in us appealling if we said we were guilty in da 1st place! LOL.

But, on da Rio fing, me finks that the lad will get more than just a slap on da wrists....cos if the FA fink they can jus fine 'im and send 'im on 'is way....den dey has got a anuvver fing cuming...especially wif FIFA.

And jus cos he's ManUre....I hope he get done good and proper!

BTW...'ello Tone! Long time no hear.....c'mon get off ur ass and stop striking will ya?? ROOOOOOOOOOOOR!