Abusive stars must face music but four-game ban is so harsh

PLAYERS who abuse match officials should be sent off and suspended — but I am amazed Lionel Messi has been given a four-match ban. The Argentine appeared to use insulting and offensive language towards the assistant referee against Chile last week. He was clearly annoyed at being penalised for a foul but, despite his animated protests, he was not sanctioned at the time. However, a FIFA disciplinary committee has watched video evidence and decided to impose the ban, which I believe is against the laws of the game. The incident occurred in full view of the assistant who was abused and therefore the decision of the active match officials should stand. If a player strikes an opponent out of view of all active officials, then a retrospective ban should be imposed. This sanction seems at odds with that. This season there has been a clear intention to punish over-vociferous dissent and, in the Premier League, referees have cautioned those who clearly step out of line. However, none has yet been dismissed or banned. Some found it surprising that I was unaware when players swore directly at me, but if you are focusing on an incident, you can miss abuse. However, when I did report such acts it was dealt with strongly. In one Champions League game as I dismissed Argentine Marcelo Gallardo for his second yellow card he shouted “F*** you, f*** you, f*** you” directly at me. UEFA imposed a five-match ban, two for the red and one for each abusive word. The length of the ban also seems heavy. Four matches for swearing may leave Wales’ Neil Taylor, whose shocking tackle snapped Seamus Coleman’s leg, fearing a very lengthy suspension.