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Hazard escapes further ban as FA take no further action against Chelsea ace over ball-boy booting
By Matt Barlow
PUBLISHED:16:30, 31 January 2013| UPDATED:17:19, 31 January 2013
Eden Hazard’s three-match ban will not be extended after a disciplinary panel rejected the FA’s claim that it was insufficient punishment for kicking a ball-boy.
Hazard was sent off as Chelsea crashed out of the Capital One Cup at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium last week when he kicked the ball from beneath ball-boy Charlie Morgan as he hurried to retrieve possession.
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Flashpoint: Chelsea's Eden Hazard clashed with the teenage ball boy
Seeing red: Hazard was given his marching orders by referee Chris Foy
Morgan, 17, claimed he hurt his ribs and the FA hit Hazard with a misconduct charge which was dismissed by an independent disciplinary commission today.
The red card brought an automatic three-match ban for violent conduct and the winger has already served two of those. He will be banned for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle and available for the Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.
An FA statement read: 'Chelsea player Eden Hazard will not have his standard three match sanction for violent conduct increased.
'Following a hearing earlier today, an independent regulatory commission was of the opinion the existing three match sanction for this offence was sufficient.
Letting fly: Hazard unleashes a firecracker during training at Cobham this week
'Hazard was charged by The FA following his side’s League Cup semi-final at Swansea City on 23 January 2013.
'The FA alleged that Hazard’s behaviour in relation to a Swansea City ball boy, for which the player was dismissed in the 78th minute, constituted violent conduct whereby the standard punishment that would otherwise apply was clearly insufficient.
'The player denied the charge and the matter was dealt with at a non-personal hearing.
'The FA will be reminding all clubs of their responsibilities in ensuring ball boys and other personnel around the pitch act in an appropriate manner at all times and The FA will be liaising with competitions accordingly.'
Centre of attention: Charlie Morgan alluded to 'timewasting' on his Twitter account before the game
Kick it out: Hazard has until 6pm on Tuesday to respond to the FA charge
Chelsea submitted evidence to argue their case including camera angles which suggested Hazard had made more contact with the ball than with the ball-boy.
They also referred to the Belgian’s instant personal and public apologies and his previous good behaviour.
In the days after the incident, there was a groundswell of support inside football for Hazard and against the actions of Morgan, the son of millionaire businessman Martin Morgan, who is a Swansea director and the club’s largest shareholder.
The ball-boy had tweeted ahead of the game that he was an expert time-waster and that he would help the Swans reach their first major cup final. Chelsea lost the semi-final 2-0 on aggregate.
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By Matt Barlow
PUBLISHED:16:30, 31 January 2013| UPDATED:17:19, 31 January 2013
Eden Hazard’s three-match ban will not be extended after a disciplinary panel rejected the FA’s claim that it was insufficient punishment for kicking a ball-boy.
Hazard was sent off as Chelsea crashed out of the Capital One Cup at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium last week when he kicked the ball from beneath ball-boy Charlie Morgan as he hurried to retrieve possession.
Scroll down for the video
Flashpoint: Chelsea's Eden Hazard clashed with the teenage ball boy Seeing red: Hazard was given his marching orders by referee Chris FoyMorgan, 17, claimed he hurt his ribs and the FA hit Hazard with a misconduct charge which was dismissed by an independent disciplinary commission today.
The red card brought an automatic three-match ban for violent conduct and the winger has already served two of those. He will be banned for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle and available for the Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.
An FA statement read: 'Chelsea player Eden Hazard will not have his standard three match sanction for violent conduct increased.
'Following a hearing earlier today, an independent regulatory commission was of the opinion the existing three match sanction for this offence was sufficient.
Letting fly: Hazard unleashes a firecracker during training at Cobham this week'Hazard was charged by The FA following his side’s League Cup semi-final at Swansea City on 23 January 2013.
'The FA alleged that Hazard’s behaviour in relation to a Swansea City ball boy, for which the player was dismissed in the 78th minute, constituted violent conduct whereby the standard punishment that would otherwise apply was clearly insufficient.
'The player denied the charge and the matter was dealt with at a non-personal hearing.
'The FA will be reminding all clubs of their responsibilities in ensuring ball boys and other personnel around the pitch act in an appropriate manner at all times and The FA will be liaising with competitions accordingly.'
Centre of attention: Charlie Morgan alluded to 'timewasting' on his Twitter account before the game Kick it out: Hazard has until 6pm on Tuesday to respond to the FA charge Chelsea submitted evidence to argue their case including camera angles which suggested Hazard had made more contact with the ball than with the ball-boy.
They also referred to the Belgian’s instant personal and public apologies and his previous good behaviour.
In the days after the incident, there was a groundswell of support inside football for Hazard and against the actions of Morgan, the son of millionaire businessman Martin Morgan, who is a Swansea director and the club’s largest shareholder.
The ball-boy had tweeted ahead of the game that he was an expert time-waster and that he would help the Swans reach their first major cup final. Chelsea lost the semi-final 2-0 on aggregate.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2Jb1esem1
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