Premier League - Drogba charged

Eurosport - Fri, 14 Nov 17:10:00 2008

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is facing a three-match ban after being charged with violent conduct by the FA for throwing a missile back into the crowd during Wednesday night's Carling Cup defeat to Burnley.

2008-2009 Chelsea Didier Drogba chucks a quid into the crowd - 0

Drogba is alleged to have thrown the coin back at Burnley fans after celebrating his first goal of the season.

Referee Keith Stroud confirmed to the FA that he had not witnessed the missile-throwing incident but had booked Drogba for going towards the Burnley fans.

The FA are also working with both clubs to try an identify the individuals responsible for throwing the coins on to the pitch.

Chelsea lost the tie 5-4 on penalties and immediately after the game, Drogba issued an apology for his actions.

But the FA and the Metropolitan Police confirmed on Thursday they were investigating the incident and the governing body has now taken action.

A statement from the FA read: "Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been charged with violent conduct.

"Drogba is alleged to have thrown a missile into the away section of the crowd after scoring during the League Cup match at Stamford Bridge.

"He has until 6pm on Monday 17 November to respond to the charge. A Regulatory Commission will hear the case on Tuesday 18 November.

"Referee Keith Stroud confirmed to the FA that he had booked Drogba for going towards the opposition supporters to celebrate but that he had not seen the missile incident.

"The FA has written to both Chelsea and Burnley to request information on missiles thrown at Chelsea players from the Burnley section. The FA is also liaising with Metropolitan Police regarding these incidents."

The standard sanction for cases of violent conduct is a three-match suspension - the punishment meted out to Jamie Carragher for a similar offence in 2002 - and it is understood the FA would deem that sufficient should Drogba be found guilty.

An FA spokesman added: "Players should be able to play football without fearing for their personal safety. It is totally unacceptable for players to be put in danger by supporters throwing missiles onto the pitch.

"The priority now is to work with the clubs and the police to identify the individuals involved. The FA wants anyone found guilty of throwing missiles to face the strongest possible action. That includes life bans from attending football matches."

Chelsea were providing no further comment immediately after learning of Drogba's charge but may issue a statement later today.

In 2002, Liverpool defender Carragher was given a three-match ban after being sent-off for a similar offence against Arsenal at Highbury.

Earlier Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari had confirmed that Drogba would be involved against West Brom tomorrow.

Scolari is ready to accept whatever punishment the FA decide upon but would not be drawn into any further comment on the issue.

He said: "About Didier Drogba, I won't say anything. Finished. Okay?

"What would I say? Nothing. For the club, for the police - it's not my business. I'm not someone to say kill or not kill. I'm only the coach and I'll receive the information from the police, the club, the FA.

"He is in good condition. He can play this weekend. After three or four months, he's ready. He's starting to play.

"Drogba has played the last few games and might be able to play 65 or 70 minutes, but not a full game.

"Step by step, he needs to recover again. The medical staff have tried to give me all of my players but, after Saturday, many of the players go off with the national team."

Chelsea, meanwhile, would not reveal whether Drogba had been disciplined.

A club spokesman said: "I'm not going to confirm whether he's been fined or not."

Drogba's team-mate, England midfielder Frank Lampard, also warned that punishing the striker could lead to more problems with the fans.

"There are two sides to it," said Lampard. "He's come out straight away and said he's made a mistake.

"People also have got to stop throwing things on the pitch. I was around Didier at the time and I don't know how many coins there were around.

"We've seen referees getting hit, too, so I think people have to take responsibility as a group.

"Didier has to take responsibility as an individual. But if Didier gets banned, are fans going to do this more to provoke people? Who knows?

"I take quite a lot of corners and it's not unusual to get things thrown at you and lots of abuse, too, and I think it's got to a stage now where it's got to stop."

More pressing for Scolari is the lack of fit players for tomorrow's game. He will take a squad of just 18 to the midlands because of a growing injury list.

"Alex, Franco Di Santo and Juliano Belletti are all out," said Scolari.

"Joe Cole is also out. Ashley Cole maybe will travel, but won't play. I need 18 players. I don't have anyone else. Ricardo Carvalho is out, but Michael Ballack may sit on the bench.

"I have six out and only 24 players, so I need 18. I'll bring one or two players from the youth or reserve team."

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 82 - 101 of 101

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  1. Drogba should be able to play the beautiful game with out having stuff chucked at him.I think he let himself down by responding the way he did and a three match ban sounds about right. He won't do that again.

    From k, on Tue 18 Nov 1:23PM

  2. Drogba should have completed the wind up by taking the coin to the Chelsea end and gave it to a Chelsea fan.
    Mind you, knowing Burnley fans it was probably a 2 pence piece

    From michael, on Mon 17 Nov 8:40PM

  3. pity the coin hadnt done some damage

    From Steve H, on Mon 17 Nov 5:48PM

  4. I am shocked at how some of these posters are so idiotic. Unless most of the posters on here are criminals HOW can anyone look at this situation and blame only Drogba?! I hate Drogba's antics and divings just as much as I Hate Chelski but Fans (using that term lightly) can not throw objects at players! WTF is with society today when just cause you pay money to watch a game you can throw objects at them? Brittain as a whole is becoming thug island! You will near never see an American Sports event where a fan or many fans would throw dangerous missiles at players?! What is wrong with people in this country now a days? In western sports world fans sit amongst each other no matter who they support?! Drogba needed to be stronger but easier said than done I am sure. The FA should have or start fining CLUBS and doing so big time. Empty stadium bans. This will stop the incidents and rat out the offenders who themselves should be banned for life.

    From ck2311, on Sat 15 Nov 10:31AM

  5. As always people ,like Theo, let the smaller picture intefere with their judgement.Yes Drogba was wrong to throw coin back but by far the bigger worry is that so called fans think they can pelt footballers with objects and shout unacceptable abuse at them.At the end of the day it only shows these people for what they really are.

    From paulfrench2000, on Sat 15 Nov 10:01AM

  6. it is high time d FA found the person who throw the coin or else it is going to be a bias, myopic, obnoxious and prejudiced judgement which will encourage the fans to do much more than that and even beat up the refrees once a while.

    From gravity, on Sat 15 Nov 9:36AM

  7. Even if Drogba was hit by the coin, he shouln't have thrown it back cause the chances of hitting the person who threw it were tiny. Oh, he also made it worse for himself by showing the fans the two fingered salute-not clever. Finally to everyone who wrote that fans should be searched on the turnstile for coins etc-think before you speak, that would mean no drinks, food or match programs for anyone.
    Personally I just think LOL ha ha it was coming to him ever since he slapped vidic in cup final.

    From theo94@..., on Sat 15 Nov 9:21AM

  8. "Players should be able to play football without fearing for their personal safety. It is totally unacceptable for players to be put in danger by supporters throwing missiles onto the pitch.The priority now is to work with the clubs and the police to identify the individuals involved. The FA wants anyone found guilty of throwing missiles to face the strongest possible action. That includes life bans from attending football matches."

    WHATEVER IS SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE SHOULD BE SAUCE FOR THE GANDER

    From Aop, on Sat 15 Nov 8:47AM

  9. as for him throwing it back & hitting someone who was innocent sadley that did seem to happen as it seems that it hit at least 6 burnley fans christ he must have put a lot of power behind that for it to have bounced off the first 5 so if you run into him in the street for gods sake dont upset him coz if he sticks one on you you are going into orbit

    From U R SOLES, on Sat 15 Nov 7:34AM

  10. DROGBAAA.............LOCK HIM UP!! DAMN THERE GOES MY LEG AGAIN HAHAHAHAHAHA

    From spongejohnwillypants, on Sat 15 Nov 7:33AM

  11. CRAIGWISE 70 your the muppet as chelsea were winning at the time you cant even be botherd to watch the game first you just come on here to s*** stir

    From U R SOLES, on Sat 15 Nov 7:30AM

  12. The FA should understand that Drogba is human as those fans are.If out of pressure and excitement,the coin was thrown unto Drogba,so too out of anger and pressure,he replied.Any cause has an effect.The fan caused the reaction of Drogba.He has already been punished by the referee for going towards the opposite fans.If the FA should punish him again,then it is purely injustice because he would be receiving the second punishment for a crime that he was pushed into committing and has already appologised.Only when the fan who threw the coin has been identified and seriously punished for his act,will Didier be answerable too for his act.Don`t let fans kill players.The FA is quick to call Drogba`s action "violent",but is too naive to see that their approach to bringing a life time solution to abuses players suffer from fans will resolve to more "violent"."There is no smoke without a fire".By putting off the smoke,the FA needs first to put off the fire.Drogba is the smoke you see,but to met justice equally and impartially,you(FA)needs to identify the fire first and put it off.Then the smoke will stop.Remember that players are professionals,have their rights of expression,got their families who love them more than we do and are human as we are.The FA shouldn`t take a step that will give grounds to fans and disfavour the entertainers.There will be no fans,without these players.These players need security from the FA and not insecurity.Look before you take a leap FA,Please.Don`t let your conscience and decisions you make hunt you for life.

    From Etim, on Sat 15 Nov 2:25AM

  13. MATCH BAN MY FOOT!WHAT HAPPENS TO MR THROWING MISSILE AT DROGBA?SO HE WILL GO SCOT FREE RIGHT?THIS SHOWS THE INNOCENT ARE RATHER THE GUILTY ONES.SO IF ONE DAY A FAN SLAPS HIM,HE SHOULD SMILE AND GIVE THE OTHER CHICK.AM DISGUSTED WITH THIS NEWS

    From emmanuel e, on Fri 14 Nov 11:39PM

  14. why so silly, drogba? dun u know that u will be punish and if u like to play football, u shouldn't did that, cuz u will be ban

    From kathy, on Fri 14 Nov 11:31PM

  15. Should Drogba be banned for life for throwing a coin.

    IRL

    From lister208@..., on Fri 14 Nov 11:17PM

  16. dont cuddle drogba cuddle the fan a true secret utd fan if i ever saw one actually it may have been vidic who threw the coins at him .quick charge him as well ha ha

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Fri 14 Nov 10:46PM

  17. oh poor little drogba lets all give him a cuddle ha ha

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Fri 14 Nov 10:33PM

  18. leigh.honeyman the remark i made was about beckham showing he wasnt bothered by the morons who threw the coins by turning their idiotic actions back on them i dont remember it happening to him again if drogba would have took no notice he would not be in trouble but his problem is he thinks he is a big hardman like when he said he should have punched vidic yeah he didnt have the bottle cos vidic would wipe the floor with him drogba is a muppet and you know it .and by the way i didnt know the people who threw the coins they were fans of the other team or didnt you get that bit dumbass

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Fri 14 Nov 10:32PM

  19. If the FA wants to be fair, they MUST find the other person and punish both. Otherwise justice is imbalanced between someone who can hid in the crowd and another with all cameras on. Charging Drogba at this stage of the investigation is not right..

    From Half A Brain, on Fri 14 Nov 10:29PM

  20. When fans hurt referees or players by throwing things, nothing happens.
    When fans sing racial songs against players, nothing happens.

    Don't be mindless by encouraging those people to keep behaving like savages.
    That is unfair on the players. That is completely absurd to ban that player for
    sending someone properties back to them. Simply mindless it is.

    From Affi, on Fri 14 Nov 9:55PM
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