Football Australia’s independent Match Review Panel has proposed Western United defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley serve a three-game ban after receiving a red card for a challenge on Central Coast Mariners forward Garang Kuol in Round 4.
The MRP convened on Monday evening to consider the incident which occurred on Saturday afternoon at Central Coast Stadium, as well as the dismissal of Brisbane Roar’s Jordan Holmes and Macarthur FC defender Jonathan Aspropotamitis in separate games across the weekend.
The MRP upheld the suspension of Holmes and Aspropotamitis, who will both miss Round 5 serving one-match bans.
Topor-Stanley haș until 2.00pm AEDT on Tuesday, November 1 to advise whether he wishes to appeal the three-game suspension proposed by the MRP.
A statement released by FA explained the method behind the review of each incident and eventual sanctions decided by the MRP.
On Holmes red card: “The MRP determined that Holmes committed the offence of ‘denying the opposing team an obvious goal- scoring opportunity, as prescribed in Law 12 of the Laws of the Game’. The minimum sanction for the offences one (1) match, being the Mandatory Match Suspension. The MRP confirmed that Holmes will serve a suspension of one (1) match, being the minimum sanction for the offence.”
On Aspropotamitis red card: “The MRP determined that Aspropotamitis committed the offence of ‘denying the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, as prescribed in Law 12 of the Laws of the Game’. The minimum sanction for the offence is one (1) match, being the Mandatory Match Suspension. The MRP confirmed that Aspropotamitis will serve a suspension of one (1) match, being the minimum sanction for the offence.”
On Topor-Stanley red card: “The MRP determined that Topor-Stanley committed the offence of ‘Serious foul play (e.g. when challenging for the ball)’. The minimum sanction for the offence is one (1) match, being the Mandatory Match Suspension. The MRP proposed a sanction of three (3) matches, being the minimum sanction for the offence plus two (2) additional matches.
“Under the Regulations, Topor-Stanley may refer the matter to the independent Disciplinary and Ethics Committee for hearing and determination of the sole question of either:
a) what additional sanction should be imposed above the minimum sanction (inclusive of the Mandatory Match Suspension which must always be served), applying the Range at the Table ofOffences; or
b) whether Exceptional Circumstances apply and therefore a sanction outside the Range at the Table of Offences should be imposed, provided always that the Mandatory Match Suspension must be served.”