NEW YORK - The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee today fined Colorado Rapids midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy $1,000 and suspended him two games for violent conduct. Kansas City Wizards coach Curt Onalfo was fined $1,000 and Wizards defender Nick Garcia was fined $250 for public criticism of an official.
Ballouchy collided with Wizards midfielder Sasha Victorine in first-half stoppage time of a 2-2 tie on July 22 at Arrowhead Stadium. Ballouchy was given a yellow card for a blow to Victorine, but the disciplinary committee decided the incident needed further review. Having reviewed the video evidence, in the judgment of the committee, the elbow by Ballouchy to Victorine was a deliberate and dangerous act committed away from any play on the ball. The incident resulted in an injury to Victorine and his immediate withdrawal from the game. Victorine's injury resulted in his suspension of full training activity for a period of time.
During meetings in the pre-season, League officials, with the approval of player representatives, indicated their intention to continue firmly to address unacceptable and dangerous blows to the area of the head and neck - particularly blows that occur away from the ball. Therefore, the committee is suspending Ballouchy for two MLS regular season games and fining him $1,000.
Following the Wizards and Rapids game on July 22, Onalfo and Garcia each made public comments of a critical nature towards US Soccer officials and therefore have been fined $1,000 and $250 respectively.
In cases when the referee sees a play on the field and exercises his judgment not to issue a red card, the committee will not act unless it determines that: a) a consequent injury occurred and b) it was an unequivocal red card offense and c) the offense was egregious or that extraordinary circumstances exist.
In the Ballouchy incident, although the referee saw the incident and exercised his on-field judgment not to award a red card, an injury to Victorine resulted. In this circumstance, the committee reviewed the play and concluded that the challenge was an unequivocal red card offense and egregious. Therefore, the committee decided to suspend Ballouchy two MLS Regular Season games and fine him $1,000. He will serve his suspension in the next two Rapids games - Aug. 4 versus FC Dallas and Aug. 11 versus Houston Dynamo.
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As one of the League's official Charities of Choice, the US Soccer Foundation is the recipient of all player fines at the end of each season. Those fines are added to the Foundation's Annual Grants Pool from which the Board of Directors awards grants to soccer clubs and organizations that serve economically disadvantaged children in urban areas.
