Rooney suspension reduced on appeal
Reuters - Thursday 08 December 2011, 10:22
England striker
Wayne Rooney's ban at next year' Euro 2012 finals was reduced
from three to two games following an appeal heard by UEFA on
Thursday.
The 26-year-old Manchester United striker was originally
banned for three matches following his sending off for kicking
opponent Miodrag Dzudovic in their final qualifier against
Montenegro in October.
"The three-match suspension levelled against Wayne Rooney is
now suspended, with the third game of the suspension, suspended
for four years, so Wayne will be available for the final group
game of the European Championships against Ukraine," Adrian
Bevington, the managing director of Club England, told reporters
at UEFA's headquarters.
"It is effectively a two-game suspension with one carried
over for a four-year period for the national team."
He added: "I am pleased to say we have had a very fair
hearing from UEFA's panel and we are very pleased with what's
happened today."
Both Rooney and England manager Fabio Capello gave evidence
to the hearing.
Rooney will now miss England's opening two Group D matches
against France in Donetsk on June 11 and Sweden in Kiev on June
15, but will be eligible to play against co-hosts Ukraine in
their third and final group game in Donetsk on June 19.
The sanction applies to national team competition governed
by UEFA so the suspended third-game ban would only come into
effect if he is sent off for violent conduct in a European Championships match, the FA said.