Footballer banned for seven matches by FA for touching opponent’s private parts

Swindon Town captain Ollie Clarke was handed a seven-match ban by the FA after touching opponents’ private parts during a Carabao Cup clash against Cardiff City

Swindon Town skipper Ollie Clarke has been hit with a seven-match suspension after inappropriately touching an opponent’s private parts during a game.

The 33-year-old had been slapped with the ban by the FA earlier this season, but no reason was given for his absence. However, the FA has now published their findings regarding several incidents from their Carabao Cup encounter with Cardiff City last August.

Based on referee Elliot Bell’s account, it was determined that Clarke had committed ‘highly violating acts of foul play’ against two unnamed opposition players by touching their private parts – with a statement confirming his ban.

It read: “In respect of Charge 1, the Commission considered the actions of the Player to be highly violating and intentional foul play… In respect of Charge 2, the Commission considered the actions of the Player to, again, be highly violating and intentional foul play, with the further aggravated factor of the incident occurring 37 minutes after the first incident within the same match.

“The indecency of this action requires an immediate sporting sanction of no less than six matches. Taking both incidents together, the panel applied a starting point of nine matches before reducing the punishment to seven under the principle of totality.”

The FA has further clarified that Clarke admitted to the charges, although he insisted that the incidents were unintentional.

This claim was dismissed by the governing body, which suggested there was ‘no plausible explanation’ for his actions and described them as ‘highly invasive, intrusive and violating’, reports the Mirror.

Swindon Town released a statement saying: “Swindon Town Football Club acknowledges the written reasons published by the FA in respect of Ollie Clarke, following the recent Regulatory Commission decision.

“Throughout the process, Ollie Clarke maintained his innocence and only admitted the charges on the basis that both charges were unintentional.

“The club continues to support Ollie and will do so moving forward. Swindon Town Football Club will be making no further comment at this time.”

Meanwhile, Swindon manager Ian Holloway has criticised the ban. Speaking to the Swindon Advertiser, he said: “It’s actually a ridiculous amount of games compared to some of the other things I’ve seen in football throughout my time.

“I don’t understand how it’s taken this long to deal with it, and our process of talking to them and appealing and all that is absolute nonsense.

“I feel for Ollie, and the lads do. He’s honest, hard-working and aggressive – what more do you need? But is he overly aggressive? I don’t think so.”