Football
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Edinson Cavani gets 2-match ban for Gonzalo Jara Copa America incident

Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani has been suspended for two matches for his reaction to Chile defender Gonzalo Jara during the Copa America, CONMEBOL has announced.

Cavani was sent off in the 63rd minute of Chile's 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Uruguay after responding to provocation from Jara, who was caught by TV cameras poking the Uruguayan's backside.

The Paris Saint-Germain star reacted by slapping his opponent and, while it appeared to be light, Jara dropped to the ground with his hand to his face.

Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci only punished Cavani for the incident, giving him a second yellow card, having booked him earlier in the match for complaining to the linesman.

Jara, whose provocation had been missed by the officials, was subsequently punished with a three-match ban, later reduced to two games on appeal.

Cavani -- who has been Uruguay's first-choice striker in the absence of the suspended Luis Suarez -- is now set to miss Uruguay's first World Cup qualifying tie against Bolivia as well as the match against Colombia.

In CONMEBOL's review of the case, the Uruguayan FA argued that he had been the victim of Jara's provocation and that it should have been spotted by the match officials.

"We think the case that we presented against the Chilean players helped reduce Cavani's sanction," Uruguay federation secretary Roberto Pastoriza told Ovacion. 

Pastoriza confirmed that the bans for both Jara and Cavani ended up being exactly the same, but also said that Uruguay will not appeal the Cavani ban but instead focus before CONMEBOL on trying to talk down the three-match ban dealt to coach Oscar Tabarez, who was sent off for disputing a red card dealt to Jorge Fucile in the same Chile-Uruguay match. Fucile was also dealt a one-match ban.

"We feel that [Cavani's] is a ban that is within the parameters if you consider that Neymar was given four matches," Pastoriza said.

Pastoriza also said that Cavani's ban cannot be appealed once he serves out half of it because "the fine was only $2,000 and is less than the cost of the appeal."

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