Toronto, (Reuters) – Seattle Sounders striker Clint Dempsey has been banned from the U.S Open Cup for at least two years after an incident in which he was sent off for ripping up a referee’s notebook.
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Clint Dempsey, center, appears to rip up referee Daniel Radford’s notebook on a June 16 USA Open Cup soccer match.
“PSRA is deeply disappointed with the decision of MLS to give Mr. Dempsey a light slap on the wrist by suspending him for a mere three games following a report of both referee assault and abuse as those terms are defined under applicable policies”.
The last match of his suspension will come Sunday when Seattle will visit Portland for another league match. Although the ban included any other soccer competition, such as with the USA National Team, it didn’t extend long enough to preclude Dempsey from joining the U.S.in Nashville next week ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Nobody wants to get red-carded. He just happens to be kicked out of a tournament that the Sounders – one of the few teams that actually takes it seriously – routinely win.
“On the other hand, it’s part of the game too”.
Dempsey, who has played for English Premier League sides Fulham and Tottenham, waived his appeal rights before the United States Open Cup panel.
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“I would like to apologize for my actions in the U.S. Open Cup”, he tweeted.
