Arsenal defender Ashley Cole was today handed a two-match ban
and fined £2,000 following his verbal outburst at referee Paul
Durkin at Southampton in November.
Cole pleaded guilty to the charge of using `abusive and/or
insulting words' towards a match official but did not attend the
FA misconduct hearing.
The disciplinary commission imposed the punishment in the
absence, with the ban taking immediate effect and ruling him out
of Sunday's Premiership game at home to West Ham, as well as the
FA Cup tie against Farnborough.
Cole is the second Arsenal player to be banned for verbal blasts
at officials, with Patrick Vieira having similarly been handed a
two-match ban for insulting referee Andy D'Urso at Stamford
Bridge earlier this season.
Cole, 21, then followed suit with his comments to Durkin after
the final whistle blew on Arsenal's 3-2 defeat at Southampton on
November 23.
The FA website, revealed: ``We can confirm that an FA
disciplinary hearing today imposed a two-match ban, with
immediate effect, and a £2,000 fine upon Arsenal's Ashley Cole.
``Cole had pleaded guilty to the charge of abusive and/or
insulting words to a match official (breach of FA rule E2) in an
incident following the Southampton against Arsenal match on
November 23, 2002.'' |
