AC MILAN'S Liberian striker George Weah was yesterday handed a massive six-match European ban for his head-butt on Porto defender Jorge Costa.
Weah received a red card after attacking Costa in the tunnel at the Antas Stadium after the 1-1 Champions' League draw on November 20th.
It was an incident which left Costa with a broken nose, although Weah, world player of the year last year, subsequently claimed that Costa had racially abused him during both of Milan's games against the Portuguese side.
Weah was immediately banned from Milan's final Champions' League group game - the 2-1 home defeat by Rosenborg that sent the five-times European Cup winners out of the competition - and yesterday was handed the extended ban by UEFA's disciplinary committee.
While Weah has the option of an appeal - he has until midnight. on Thursday to lodge one - the decision could be a negative factor in plans of English clubs to make him the next star in the Premiere ship firmament.
While Weah has missed one match, he still has five more to serve, meaning that he would not be available until the final Champions' league group game or the second leg of the third round of the other two European competitions next term.
Explaining the decision, UEFA said that any player adjudged to have committed "an act of serious violence" faced an automatic five-match European ban. The injury sustained by Costa, and the circumstances of the incident, made this case "more serious".
But Weah's previous good character had counted in his favour. He has received only three yellow cards in UEFA competitions during the last five years, and was also granted a Fair Play Award by FIFA.
Meanwhile Vinnie Jones ate humble pie to save his job as Wimbledon captain yesterday after being fined a week's wages, estimated at £4,000, for a mickey-taking article about his teammates.
The Welsh midfielder, who also donated his £2,000 fee from the newspaper to the players' pool, insists he has learned his lesson.
But chairman Sam Hammm, who received a personal apology along with manager Joe Kinnear and every individual player, believes Jones came very close to destroying his position as captain and inspiration of the old Crazy Gang spirit.
"Wimbledon play with 10 men and Vinnie Jones," said Hammam. "In many respects they are ahead of him from a technical and footballing angle. But what Vinnie provides is leadership and the respect of his team-mates. Without this he will have nothing left."
Even Jones, who has been in trouble for his media work before, believes he has got off lightly for the article which rated his colleagues' drinking, catwalk and `ruck' qualities.
But he insisted: "It was supposed to be a joke, a Christmassy, pull-yer-leg sort of stunt but it went completely wrong. I'm sure that at the moment people were looking for something to go wrong after 19 games unbeaten. You've had your wish. I'm sorry it was me.
Teenage drugs offender Jay Notley has been given three months to rescue his career after the FA yesterday deferred sentence for his triple drugs offence.
