|
Home>News Center>Sports | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Totti is banned for spitting
Francesco Totti, the Italy striker, was suspended for three games by UEFA yesterday after he was found guilty of "gross unsporting conduct" – spitting at Denmark's Christian Poulsen during the 0-0 draw in Guimaraes on Monday. It means the Roma player – described as "a symbol of Italian football worldwide" in the official Italian team brochure produced for Euro 2004 – will not be available until the semi-finals, if the Azzurri manage to advance that far. The incident went unnoticed at the time but two days later a Danish television station, who had been filming a special on Totti, showed the damning footage which prompted the Danish Football Association to make an official complaint to UEFA. William Gaillard, UEFA's head of communications, said that the three-game verdict was based on three factors. "First, the player's admission of guilt. Second, the circumstances of the tournament, the importance and the length – if the tournament was longer, the decision may have been different. Third, the gravity of the offence." Giulia Bongiorno, who was flown in from Italy to lead the player's high-profile legal team, said that Totti told her it was "another personality" who was the guilty party. Bongiorno said: "He told me: 'I, Francesco Totti, do not know the Francesco Totti seen in that video. That was another personality. Francesco Totti is a sensible and socially responsible person who has helped people in difficulties." This was a reference to the player's two joke books, for which profits went to charity. Two years ago, when the Italians were knocked out in the second round of the World Cup by co-hosts South Korea, Totti was seen as an unfortunate victim of Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno, who sent him off for diving. This time Totti can expect little sympathy. Without Totti, Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni is likely to move Alessandro Del Piero into the playmaker role against Sweden today and use Antonio Cassano as a striker alongside Christian Vieri. Meanwhile, in the other Group C tie, Denmark hope to build on their draw with Italy when they play Bulgaria, who were beaten 5-0 by Sweden in their opener. "The draw with Italy will have a real meaning only if we beat the Bulgarians," said Denmark coach Morten Olsen. In contrast, Bulgaria coach Plamen Markov said: "We'll have to salvage some of our pride in the game against Denmark and draw some lessons from the Sweden match. "Naturally, my players are very depressed. Physically they are in perfect shape, but mentally they are not." |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
