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The four players involved in a brawl during a pre-season A-League match between Newcastle and Wellington have received bans ranging from two to four weeks.
Jets’ player Tiago Calvano, whose tackle on Phoenix defender Manny Muscat in last Saturday’s match sparked the brawl, has been slapped with a four-game ban for the tackle and the subsequent fight.
The ban means Calvano will miss the remainder of the Jets’ pre-season games, but will be available for round one of the A-League season when the Jets take on Adelaide United at Hunter Stadium on October 7.
“We support the FFA’s decision and accept the punishment of a four-game suspension for Tiago,” Jets’ chief executive Robbie Middleby said.
“As a club, we don’t condone any form of retaliation or violent behaviour.”
The Phoenix were also hit hard by the match review panel with Muscat, New Zealand international defender Ben Sigmund and Australian Andrew Durante all receiving bans.
Muscat has, like Calvano, been hit with a four-game penalty while Sigmund with miss three matches and Durante has received a two-match suspension.
All three of the players will serve their suspensions on the Phoenix’s upcoming pre-season tour of India and will be available for the start of the A-League season.
A-League head Damien de Bohun supported the decision to ban all four players, adding he will be reminding all clubs of their behavioural expectations ahead of the new season.
“This kind of unprofessional and unsportsmanlike behaviour has no place in our game,” de Bohun said.
“I look forward to meeting with each A-League club before the season commences and reinforce not only our expectations on the professionalism of the sport but ways in which we can work together to grow the game.”
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