KANGAROO COURT
Last updated : 31 December 2004 By Editor
Wayne Rooney has been banned by the FA for three games after wiping Ben
Haim's nose on Boxing Day. United decided to accept the violent conduct charge given by the FA instead of trying to appeal. Speaking about United's decision to accept the charge Sir Alex Ferguson explained why the system is unfair and suits the FA rather than the clubs.
'The central issue for me is 'what can we do about the system?' He said
'It seems to me a bit immoral that you are denying a person his rights.'
He went on: 'It looks like there's an intent to do Rooney no matter what. I don't know what we can do about it but it is unfair and the system is completely flawed.'
'If we had appealed there was not really any chance of success because it's
being heard in London without us being represented,'
'I can't understand that and it does worry me. I'm having great difficulty accepting this and if there had been an appeal they could have increased his ban.'
'It was no more than a push in the face, there was no swing of the arm or
anything like that, 'SAF said. 'The violent conduct charge bemuses me because every man and his dog would agree it was not violent conduct.
'If it is violent conduct why are they charging Ben Haim? I can't understand it. If it is violent conduct, Ben Haim should not be charged. He is being charged so they therefore believe he is guilty of diving and bringing the game into disrepute.
'The system is completely flawed. The problem for us now is we can't really
appeal because we are not allowed to be represented. It is a closed section.
'So therefore they are telling you, 'don't bother appealing, you are not going to win anyway'.
'As we are approaching 2005, that seems to be unfair and immoral.'
Rooney will start his ban tomorrow and will also miss the Spurs and Exeter
matches.
