Premier League - Drogba hit with three-match ban

Eurosport - Tue, 18 Nov 20:54:00 2008

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been handed a three-match ban after admitting an FA charge of violent conduct.

2008-2009 Chelsea Didier Drogba - 0

The Ivorian was charged after throwing a coin back into the crowd during the Blues' Carling Cup tie against Burnley at Stamford Bridge on November 12.

Drogba was booked at the time of the incident, although referee Keith Stroud confirmed the yellow card was brandished for approaching the away fans and not for missile-throwing.

That left the door open for Drogba to be retrospectively punished and he will now miss the league games against Newcastle, Arsenal and Bolton.

Chelsea went on to lose to Burnley on penalties and immediately after the game, Drogba issued an apology for his actions.

"This is something I want to make clear. I tried to celebrate the goal and I received some things at me," Drogba said at the time.

"The big mistake I did was to throw it back so if someone was hurt, I just want to apologise for it.

"This is not something I should show in a football match and I want to apologise.

"It was an incident in the heat of the moment and I regret it. It was just a mistake and nothing more."

A three-match ban is considered standard punishment for such incidents; Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was also suspended for three games after a similar indiscretion in 2002.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 90 - 109 of 109

Sort comments by: Most recent
  1. hate u fa pollice

    From Nancy Kong, on Thu 20 Nov 7:07AM
  2. although as a footballer you are suppose to be patient behound all reasonable dapt. there is also something known as spoure of the morement which engulfed every man.Drogba, is a human.... the pain of asepting your fought is more touching than the pain that surge you in committing the act. the FA should look into the act of fans up seting players that gives them funs.

    From mario s, on Wed 19 Nov 9:30PM
  3. its ok ,what of the stupid owner of the coin?he is human just like any1 else

    From TIMOTHY, on Wed 19 Nov 3:05PM
  4. Drogba is human that have an emotion. in that situation, drogba was the target. so he reply by throw back the coin. remember, the coin isn't drogba's coin. so he return the coin to the owner

    From renditz, on Wed 19 Nov 12:51PM
  5. Drogba is human that have an emotion. in that situation, drogba was the target. so he reply by throw back the coin. remember, the coin isn't drogba's coin. so he return the coin to the owner

    From renditz, on Wed 19 Nov 12:39PM
  6. i agree with the ban multimillion-pound players aren't exempt from the law and he should be punished and so should the fan that throw the coin. It's not right to throw anything at a player they are there for our entertainment. However maybe money and talent doesn't always come with brains. WHAT DID DROGBA EXTPECT, Burnley fans applaud his goal as to say thanks we're 1-0 down. Drogba had already done the hard work by scoring if he'd had his head screw on he'd have gone on to score again. Drogba only got what he deserved.

    From John-Paul, on Wed 19 Nov 10:20AM
  7. The laws in this country are such that any form of reaction to provocation is deemed as a crime. Drogba was incorrect but acted just like others would. He has apologised, has the idiot who threw the coin apologised?

    From peterknight47, on Wed 19 Nov 9:34AM
  8. Some fair comments here, as well as the usual biased drivel from supporters of Drogba's club and anti-Chelsea drivel from some others.

    One thing nobody has mentioned is that Drogba should be above retaliation of this kind (never mind "he's only human" etc etc. etc.) for the simple reason that he has about one hundred thousand reasons a week to be above it. If the man can't control his temper he doesn't belong on a football field.

    From rob n, on Wed 19 Nov 8:15AM
  9. well.. drogba have the right to do that..because he is human...and human does not like to be thrown by a coin ...if im drogba...i will do the same thing!!!

    From ryan r, on Wed 19 Nov 4:59AM
  10. Footballers are just human beings. Whilst a lot of them are idolised by our children, and therefore we expect a higher standard of behaviours from them, yet, there is a limit on how much abuse they can take without boiling over! I do not like Drogba as a player, but in this instance, I think he has my sympathy because if I were in his position, I would probably have done the same. The FA should enforce the use of video cameras to protect players from abuses such as coin throwing. Fans who are caught must be equally punished by banning him from 3 games or have him banned for life if caught twice!

    From Ricky Y, on Wed 19 Nov 2:28AM
  11. @ Jack C

    i totally agree with you, man.. i mean, if the FA only punish the players, what about the supporters/fans who started the coin throwing incident? if the FA cannot catch the culprit and give him/her a fine or ban, there'll be more of it in the future. please do your job, FA! and it would be much help if the ground stewards to their job, too! shame, shame...

    From dila, on Wed 19 Nov 1:26AM
  12. Mr Drogba did what a human being could react in similar situations. Let us see what FA does to the monster who threw the coin. Referee did not see the coin throwing by Drogba. Could us call this a shelf-incriminating act? Or drogba is unexpectedly honest? Should FA make this an habit to encourage spectators to provoque players they do not like? Nobody will win and football will suffer more because I notice that there are a lot hatred for foreign players in England.

    From Jack C, on Wed 19 Nov 1:03AM
  13. Disgusting. Such morons

    From mrsheen53, on Wed 19 Nov 12:04AM
  14. aj85553 you are looking into this too biasedly because its a football matter
    , it makes no difference if you attack members of the genarel public in a supermarket or a football match, on both accounts they are paying customers, just because a football field and football in genaral is bigger than a supermarket it doesnt mean to say you can get away with attacking paying customers, which football fans are.

    From Skittles, on Wed 19 Nov 12:00AM
  15. all ya enemies that are against drogba are ridiculous,though he knew he messed up by throwing the coin back, thats why he appoligises or what more can any one take, so wht happened to the punk who threw the coin in the first place, i think when next such act would happen i pray its should be to a man utd player and its going to be throwing a bullet into one of ur players scoll and not a coin,u guys a worsten its obvious that the FA are being biased with there judgement,asked urself why ws he thrown a coin in the first place and u would know thats personal from the start so he shouldent be blamed for throwing it back..

    From daniella, on Tue 18 Nov 11:44PM
  16. let talk directly..how can u compare situation on the field with the situation in the supermarket? Compare player and manager? Isn't it different man ..compare drogba n carragher situation are more realistic

    From andrew, on Tue 18 Nov 11:33PM
  17. aj85553 you are talking about evaluating the situation.... i work in a supermarket, now if a customer came in and acted aggresivly towards me which they often do, then lets say i start throwing things at him/her? I would get the sack yeah? so how the f is drogba getting off with this so easily.... he should be banned from playing football for at least 6 months

    From who am i, on Tue 18 Nov 11:18PM
  18. even someone im believe manyoo fans compare drogba n cantona flying kick...how funny

    From andrew, on Tue 18 Nov 11:13PM
  19. some of morons and biased fans here dont know how to evaluate the different situation drogba n ferguson got they punishment...such pathetic manyoo fans

    From andrew, on Tue 18 Nov 11:08PM
  20. Good point simon.... if i was to throw tins of beans at our customers in the supermarket i work in i would get the sack... so why is drogba getting off so lightly..?... the fans are paying customers just like you get in supermarkets or anywhere else, these people pay his frigging salary.

    From who am i, on Tue 18 Nov 11:01PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account