Photo by ISIphotos.com
U.S. national team midfielder Michael Bradley has been handed a four-match suspension by FIFA for his run-in with referee Jorge Larrionda following the U.S. national team's 2-0 win vs. Spain in the Confederations Cup, Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl reported on Tuesday.
The suspension will not keep Bradley out of the Aug. 12 World Cup qualifier vs. Mexico in Mexico City. In fact, Bradley will be able to serve the suspension during the Gold Cup even though he has not been called in. He served the first match of the suspension during the Confederations Cup final, with the first two U.S. Gold Cup matches covering the next two matches of the ban. The fourth match is a suspended sentence that will kick in if Bradley has another incident during a probationary period of six months.
U.S. head coach Bob Bradley did not sound too bothered by the decision when asked about his son's suspension on Tuesday.
“Obviously, the emotions after a game like that and a decision like that are high," Bob Bradley said. "This is typically the way FIFA handles those things.”
Bradley had words with Larrionda near the locker rooms following the Spain match, a match that saw Larrionda issue Bradley a highly-questionable red card in the 87th minute. Reports out of Spain suggesting that Bradley attempted to attack Larrionda have been proved false.
What do you think of this news? Relieved Bradley will play vs. Mexico? Angry that Larrionda still has a job as a FIFA referee? Praying he isn't chosen to referee in the 2010 World Cup?
Share your thoughts below.
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer writer/columnist for FoxSoccer.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
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