Australian player may receive bigger penalty

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 68

Australian player may receive bigger penalty

Hi ; I : . , . Garry McDowall.j i theAustralian soccer player. who was ordered from the field in the stormy match against! Israeli in Christchurch' on Sunday, receive anl, [even Bigger penalty than his i automatic [one-match suspension! today. ,i I i Soccer’s i I controlling international body,’ F.1.F.A., met| earlier I this* morning (N.Z. time) and was expected to make a pronouncement onj the fate of McDpwall and an Israeli midfielder, I Avindam Ovadia, I who was also sent off aftei; the frdcast at Queen Elizabeth II (Park, McDowall.) who! Jas dispatched from the field for stomping on the head of an Israeli player) and Ovadia will both be 1 stood

down from today’s Olympic qualifying matches in Wellington. A representative ! from F.I.F.A. is in New Zealand following the games) and he sent a report to his association after ) ■! the Christchurch brawl. He is now awaiting word ' from that body on any action to be taken. - J J! ■ Jj - The Canterbury i : Football Association could send its own report to the New Zealand body. ) : The president of the C.F.A., Mr Terry Mann,, said this was a possibility, but a lot would depend on developments between now and the next meeting of the management committee. ) . “It\ is not my intention to embarrass the! (New

: Zealand, Australian or Israeli associations, but there is public awareness of the violence, and it is in their interest to see that it is dealt with,” Mr ' Mann said.) Emphasising that his views on the match were purely his) own and not necessarily) those of the C.F.A., Mr Mann described the Australia-Israel match as |‘a disgrace to any sporting code.” to achieve a result at |any cost had meant that sportsmanship' and soccer skills were sacrificed.) |:“The Australian who stamped on the Israeli should be) identified and never kick a soccer ball again.” )