Football
PA Sport 7y

Newcastle United's Jonjo Shelvey given five-game ban for abusive language

Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has been banned for five games and fined £100,000 after a charge of using racially-aggravated language against an opponent was found proven, the Football Association has announced.

An Independent Regulatory Commission found against Shelvey, who had denied an FA charge of "using abusive and/or insulting words towards an opponent" aggravated by a reference to "ethnic origin and/or race and/or nationality," at a hearing in Birmingham.

An FA statement said: "Jonjo Shelvey has been given a five-match suspension and £100,000 fine after an FA misconduct charge against him was found proven.

"The Newcastle United player was charged with using abusive and/or insulting words towards an opponent in the 87th minute of the game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday September 17 2016.

"It was further alleged that this breach of Rule E3(1) was an 'Aggravated Breach' as defined in Rule E3(2), as it included reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or nationality.

"The player, who denied the charge at an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, was also ordered to attend an FA education course."

England international Shelvey has seven days from the receipt of the commission's written reasons during which to appeal against his punishment with the sanctions set aside in the meantime.

A Newcastle statement said: "The club and the player will await the FA's written reasons before making any further comment on this matter."

However, if Shelvey decides not to challenge the decision or does so and loses, he faces missing a key phase in the Championship leaders' bid for an immediate return to the Premier League.

The charge is reported to surround an incident involving Wolves' Moroccan midfielder Romain Saiss which was reported to match referee Tim Robinson immediately after the game.

However, it was not issued until Nov. 8 as the FA collected evidence with Saiss' limited understanding of English believed to be a complicating factor.

Shelvey strongly refuted the claims and Press Association sources on Tyneside had indicated that the Magpies felt they had witnesses to back his denials.

It is only a fortnight since Shelvey and teammate Paul Dummett both had the red cards they received in Newcastle's controversial 2-1 league defeat at Nottingham Forest rescinded after mounting successful wrongful dismissal claims.

Shelvey, a £12 million signing from Swansea in January, has proved a key figure in Rafa Benitez's team this season.

^ Back to Top ^