The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Competition Committee has upheld the one match suspension handed former Nigeria U-23 star, Umar Sadiq following the two yellow cards he collected in his club, Almeria’s 1-1 draw at Fuenlabrada last weekend in a Spanish Second division game.
Almeria had lodged an appeal to get one of the cards issued by centre referee Gorka Sagués Oscoz cancellled but the committee insisted the Nigerian deserved the two yellow cards he collected in the match.
“From viewing the images, it is clearly observed, in all cases, that there is contact between the reprimanded player and the rival,so that what is described in the minutes (referee’s report) cannot be considered a manifest material error,” the Committee said in rejecting the appeal.
“Once the facts of the contacts have been established in the manner described in the minutes, it is the responsibility of the arbitrator, within his technical discretion, to assess whether said actions are reckless or decisive to interrupt a manifest occasion,” the committee further explained.
Almeria had hoped that the footages of the two incidents will convince the committee that one of the cards was given in error.
Sadiq who has scored 11 goals including the hat-trick he scored against the same Fuenlabrada when both sides first met at the start of last month. and provided four assists in 21 league games so far this term will now miss Sunday’s home game against las Palmas at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos.