Soccer

Manchester City’s Yaya Toure escapes violent conduct charge from English FA

Jose Mourinho dismayed at decision, saying it would offer a licence to everyone to “do what they want”

Yaya Toure, who has escaped a violent conduct charge from the English FA.
Yaya Toure, who has escaped a violent conduct charge from the English FA.
Jamie Jackson
Tue Feb 11 2014 - 01:00

Yaya Toure has escaped a violent conduct charge from the English FA for appearing to kick out at Norwich City’s Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Jose Mourinho is dismayed at the decision, Chelsea’s manager having stated that if the Manchester City midfielder was not suspended then it would offer a licence to everyone to “do what they want”.

The Cardiff City forward Craig Bellamy will, though, have to answer a violent conduct charge for allegedly hitting Swansea City’s Jonathan de Guzman during Saturday’s 3-0 derby defeat.

Regarding Toure, a three-man FA panel of former elite referees decided the Manchester City midfielder had no case to answer for the incident that occurred during the goalless draw at the weekend.

Before the verdict, Mourinho dismissed any notion that Toure would not face a charge. "I don't understand why it would be an if," he said . . . Of course I would be [disappointed if he was not sanctioned].

'Doesn't matter'
"But if he is not, it has to be the same for everyone: if the referee doesn't see, a player can do whatever he wants. It doesn't matter about cameras or others seeing. I can do whatever I want."

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Bellamy faces a potential three-match ban after he was unanimously adjudged by the referees’ panel of having committed a sending-off offence, the criteria by which the Welshman could be charged. Toure did not receive a unanimous vote from the panel, so has escaped a hearing.

Bellamy has until 6pm today to respond to the charge. If he accepts it he will miss tonight’s game at home to Aston Villa and further home matches against Wigan in the FA Cup and Hull City in the league. Cardiff’s manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, said before the charge was announced that the incident was “absolutely nothing”.

The FA said: “Under a new pilot project in Premier League matches this season, if an incident has not been seen by the match officials, a three-man panel of former elite referees will be asked by the FA to review it and advise what, if any action, they believe the match referee should have taken had it been witnessed at the time.

"For an FA charge to follow, all three panel members must agree it is a sending-off offence."
Guardian Service