NEW YORK - Major League Soccer announced today that Colorado Rapids forward John Spencer has been suspended for a total of two games and fined a total of $1500 for a post-game incident in the Referee Secure Area following his team's 1-1 draw with the Dallas Burn at INVESCO Field at Mile High on Saturday, June 19. The MLS Disciplinary Committee added an additional game to the automatic one-game suspension and $250 fine as a result of a red card he received following the match.
Yellow and red cards are displayed on rare occasions prior to a match or after the match is over. However, USSF guides its referees follows international practice in recognizing the need to enforce misconduct sanctions for certain periods of time immediately prior to and after the match as though misconduct had occurred during the match itself. If misconduct is committed before or after a match, the referee must describe the incident just as though the incident had occurred during the match.
At the conclusion of the game, Spencer approached the four referees and exhibited unprofessional behavior. Referee Kevin Stott then issued the red card, resulting in the automatic suspension and fine described above. The MLS Disciplinary Committee fined Spencer an additional $1,150 for the day's series of incidents, including his entrance into the Referee Secure Area and the automatic assessment of the $100 "game-disrepute" fine for his 82nd-minute caution, issued for showing a lack of respect for the game.
The former Scotland international, honored last season as a RadioShack MLS Best XI selection and now in his fourth season in MLS, will miss the Rapids' next two regular season matches on Saturday, June 26 at Columbus and on Wednesday, June 30 when the MetroStars host Colorado.
San Jose Earthquakes defender and captain Jeff Agoos was fined $950 for his pair of Dissent Cautions and the resultant red card received late in the Earthquakes' 1-1 draw with the Chicago Fire on Saturday, June 19 at Soldier Field in Chicago. Agoos will be forced to sit out this weekend's game in San Jose against the Kansas City Wizards.
