A kick in the leg it was, but was it really malicious? Essentially, that was the question UEFA’s Disciplinary and Control Body had to ask themselves as they heard Wayne Rooney‘s appeal today in Nyon. This day in age, when you see better acting on the pitch than on the big screen in Hollywood, you have to take a second look at these incidents which can have such a profound impact on the biggest soccer games in the world.
Luckily for England fans and soccer in general, UEFA did just that and ruled in the Manchester United striker’s favor as his thee match ban was reduced to two games. The reduction in punishment means Rooney will be available for selection when England faces host nation Ukraine in their final group stage match in Donetsk. While the third match of the ban has been temporarily lifted, it will be re-imposed if Rooney is guilty of violent conduct any time in the next four years. The amended punishment also includes Rooney spending a day to support a UEFA project.
While originally ruled an “assault” which carries an automatic three match ban, it is believed that Rooney’s team of lawyers used Andrei Arshavin’s two match ban for a nearly identical offence in 2008 as basis for reducing the classification of the red card.