The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee today fined Los Angeles Galaxy defender Abel Xavier and fined and suspended Colorado Rapids midfielder Ciaran O'Brien. Xavier was fined a total of $1,600 and receives an automatic one-game red card suspension for his actions in Saturday night's game versus the Rapids, while O'Brien was fined a total of $500 and is suspended two games for dangerous conduct in the same game.
Xavier was fined $750 for excessive dissent and $250 for failure to leave field following a red card that was given in the 89th minute of the game. He was also fined $250 for post-game public criticism of officiating. These fines come on top of a $250 automatic fine and one-game suspension for a red card and a $100 automatic fine for a yellow card caution for dissent received earlier in the game.
Xavier will serve his one-game suspension on Thursday, April 4 when the Galaxy host the San Jose Earthquakes.
O'Brien received a red card in the 90th minute of the Rapids versus Galaxy game on Saturday night, March 29 for a dangerous foul committed against Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz that caused Ruiz injury. The League has suspended O'Brien one additional game and fined him and additional $250 for his actions in Saturday night's game. O'Brien will serve his two-game suspension in consecutive weekends when the Rapids travel to face the Kansas City Wizards on April 5 and travel to play the New England Revolution on Saturday, April 12.
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. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org.
