Premier League - Balotelli accepts four-match ban
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has accepted a violent conduct charge against him and subsequently a four-match ban.
The Football Association confirmed to Press Association Sport that City informed them they would not be challenging the four-match suspension, punishment for Balotelli's apparent stamp on Tottenham's Scott Parker at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Balotelli misses the Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool and the Barclays Premier League encounters with Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa.
The FA confirmed the outcome shortly after Wednesday night's 6pm deadline to submit an appeal.
City assistant manager David Platt hinted at the course of action on Tuesday, although it is believed City officials debated long and hard about it as they are still not entirely convinced referee Howard Webb failed to spot the original incident last weekend.
Even so, it would be a difficult case to argue given Webb states otherwise and there was a possibility the ban could be extended for a frivolous appeal.
It is unlikely to sit well with the Italian though.
On Tuesday, his agent Mino Raiola accused Webb of being a "coward" and added: "If the English don't start to protect Mario a little bit more, we will have to look at other alternatives and leave the UK."
While there may be some sympathy over Balotelli's sense of being victimised, given team-mate Joleon Lescott and former England striker Peter Crouch both escaped without punishment at the weekend over offences many felt warranted a red card, many will argue that justice has been done.
Most concurred with Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp's post-game assessment of what appeared to be a blatant and needless kick in the head. And of the huge number of former players that have commented on the matter, only Lee Dixon gave Balotelli the benefit of any doubt on the matter.
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You guys need to understand, epl¬ is ILLEGITIMATE COMPETITION. there are rules for¬ everyone but NOT for SCUM utd.
SCUM utd actually runs the¬ league, has english FA in their pocket and ordering¬ them what to do; in addition MOST referees are on ¬ SCUMchester Utd. PAYROLL or too scared to call fair¬ game - for fear of being punished for proper job and¬ not helping SCUM utd.
english FA is SERVANT of SCUMchester Utd with DUTY to¬ SERVE & PROTECT INTERESTS of SCUM utd.
FA stands¬ for: Ferguson's ASSISTANTS
EXACTLY as ordered by their boss, SCUM United and ferguson - fa is DOING ALL IN THEIR ( big) POWER to help SCUM Utd. to win the title and PREVENTING ANY TEAM TO CHALLENGE THIS.
English Fa - PROUDLY SUPPORTING, ASSISTING AND SERVING INTERESTS OF SCUM Utd, FOR OVER 20 YEARS !!!!!
yakman and parasite watcher(team you support if you like to watch parasites, as if i cant guess) share the brain but seams like it has gone missing! Mino please take him away along with yourself, we don't need you. If it was an accident why has he accepted 4 game ban? he's actually grabbed that 4 games because it could'v been alot worse and he knows it(thinking about it he doesn't know anything! Mino must have told him. His inner-monologue must always be shouting). 8 games for verbal/4 games for violent foot stamping to prone player. HOW? Has Mario been fined? I second the call for psychiatric treatment, those voices cant be good.
who says only italians call Howard a coward! That rhymes well by the way!
how can an italian call anyone a coward
old news yahoo, catch up please!!!!
What do you call a man with a spade on his head?
Scott Parker
Should be banned for the rest of the season and then undergo assessment as to his mental state."Why always me?"....seek help mate before you disable a fellow player for life.
never mind,Balotelli has got some time off to push on with his hobbies -dart throwing and pellet shooting.
If a referee and the FA can give a decision after the game in this case,why cant they change decisions that were wrong in the game afterwards too,like penalties that never were penalties.last year Rooney was let off a really bad tackle because the FA said they could do nothing because the ref didn't see it in the game...@#$% ??
Because he hasn't been nicked for assault, the next time I want to kick someone in the head, I shall do it in the context of a game of football.
Justice was done??? What a load, would have preferred the point and him being sent off.
No, of course he didn't mean it, Parkers fault for falling over when he was hoofed down by the thug
What planet are you from?
The stamp was as deliberate as his fake fall to the ground afterwards.
ballotelli didnt deliberately kick parker in the head,he didnt know what was behind him, it was just a petulant kick back like beckhams many years ago,he's good but he hasnt got eyes in the back of his head.
take his goal away so the game ends 2-2 its only fair has accepted a violent conduct charge
Doesn't look like it's your turn with the brain cell today does it 'yakman'
Idiot
I would still like to see the marks left on Parkers face/head by Ballotellis studs, its strange that such a 'fierce stamp' has not left any marks, can any of the multitude of TV or digital press cameras at the game produce one, have the FA seen any, ...NO!! well done Parker you soft cheating English BA***RD!! ps you still ain't taken the heat of your gaffer, the TAX DODGER!! like he doesn't make enough money anyway, cheating the tax man.
Only 4 games! That is as bad as the stomp on Parker. This guy is a sadist and should be banned untill he has gone for and completed his treatment with a shrink. Only after the shrink has given the clearence should he be allowed.
I also think the ban for last nights game in a cup match was wrong, he committed the offense in a league match, therefore he should be banned from 4 league matches. Man city should shoulder some of the blame for this thug, now he only gets a three match ban, its all wrong....
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